Fiery Horizons
by aiokikasete
Summary: -AU- Fire!verse. Sixth installment following 'The brightest flame': After 5 years of loving Souichi, Morinaga Tetsuhiro finally gets his wish when Sempai asks him to stay by his side. Things are going rosy for the two of them until the impossible happens. This is the couple's dealing with married life and Souichi's work intrigues. Warning: may contain male pregnancy
1. New prospects

**A/N: This is the new chapter to my Koisuru Boukun Fire!verse series. As this story is a continuum of the previous stories, I would say, please read the first four segments before this! **

**Series order:**

**1) Consumed by your fire**

**2) Kindles and sparks **

**3) Scorching heat **

**4) Incendium**

**5) The brightest flame**

**P.S: Throughout the story, the way in which the 2 main characters are called will switch between these:**

**\- Tatsumi Souichi: Souichi (in his own POV) / Sempai (in Morinaga's POV)**

**\- Morinaga Tetsuhiro: Tetsuhiro (in his own POV) / Morinaga (in Souichi's POV)**

**Warning: This story is Yaoi**

**Disclaimer: As before, Koisuru Boukun does not belong to me.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: New prospects**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

The plants were not cooperating.

Crouched in a corner of Todai's agricultural faculty's greenhouse, Souichi glanced critically at the five pots of genetically modified plants, each inserted with a different gene. With a syringe, he parted an exact dosage of fertilizer into the first pot. The first drop of the liquid had barely seeped into the soil before the plant withered, its leaves drooping almost dramatically right before his eyes.

"Damn—!" Frustrated by the sight of his failure, Souichi nonetheless continued on to the next pot. One, two, three drops. He counted to ten, holding his breath. Ah, it seemed that things would be fine—oh, shit! Once again, the second pot died before his eyes. Souichi removed the syringe and threw it back into his bag. Damnit, this was already his twentieth sample!

Pacing the cool interiors of the greenhouse but unable to think of an explanation, Souichi finally squatted down again and drizzled some water into the remaining three pots. Picking up his bag, he swiped up the two dead plants as well. He would do a post- mortem examination on them; discover what had killed them so quickly. He glanced once again at the browned leaves and sighed. At this rate, he was not going to be able to present the plant to Morinaga.

Sneakers making crunching sounds on the soil, Souichi exited the greenhouse and made his way back to the laboratory. The August sun was relentless and he could feel his scalp burning. The blast of the air- conditioning when he entered the science building made him sigh in relief. He pressed the button of the elevator and waited.

"Tatsumi- san! Good morning! How's everything?"

The female voice came from the eastern direction. Souichi turned, saw Yuki Manami dashing over in a flurry of books and sheets. Her brown hair was tied up today and she was sporting a pair of new glasses. Her unbuttoned lab coat flapped up, revealing the status of her four- month pregnancy.

Souichi walked up to Manami, effectively stopping her from running. He took the two tomes from her arms and then stepped into the waiting elevator, a frown on his brow. "Morning. Seriously, should you be running in your condition?"

"Ehh, what condi—oh, you mean this?" Manami indicated her womb. The woman had only discovered her pregnancy a while ago, though everybody had more or less guessed it from her appearance. "Ah, don't worry; I'll be fine, I'll be fine. What's that you are holding?"

"Just something I was playing around for the independent study," Souichi replied. The lift ascended smoothly and he glanced ponderously at his dead plants. He had two more weeks before their wedding. If he could figure out the problem with the plant's survivability by this week, he might just be able to show it to Morinaga.

"Just playing around? Doesn't seem that way to me. You've been staying back just to cultivate the seedlings, haven't you? Prof. is wondering about your progress, you know, just that he refuses to ask you directly." Manami chuckled, very tickled by their lead professor's stubbornness.

"The plant's not helping, though. The seedlings always die just before they flower. Fertilisers seem to kill them even quicker." Souichi showed her the plant, rattling off the name of the fertilizer as he did so.

"Hmm… Have you perhaps created a sterile strain? Those types of plants usually don't flower and have low survivability. Ah, is this a medicinal plant? The leaves look rather familiar…"

"Yes, this is a genetically recombined _cnidium officinale. _I wanted to increase the potency of the root's medicinal effects but I can't even study it when the plants are not even growing. The gene that I inserted might have disrupted an essential expression…" The lift opened to their floor and the two scientists stepped out.

"Hmm, perhaps it would be more efficient if you were to study the gene sequences in greater detail. Ah, I could help you!" Manami offered her help enthusiastically.

"It's all right, Yuki- san. You already have plenty on your side. Besides, it's just a small matter."

Manami smirked at Souichi, completely unimpressed by his acted flippancy. She pointed at his leather folder, his cardigan and Mont Blanc pen, all new. "All of these are from Morinaga- kun, aren't they? Is the plant gonna be a return present?"

"H-hah?!" Shoving his folder and pen ratherly abruptly aside, Souichi vehemently denied her allegations. "R-rubbish! Why the hell would I go to such troubles for him? Besides, he's not even doing research anymore!" Urghh, could women get any more astute?

"Heheh, but isn't he working in a pharmaceuticals company? I heard that herbal medicine is very in demand now. If your recombination worked, it would mean a breakthrough in work for him, no?" Manami teased. Laughing aloud when Souichi shot a disgruntled glare at her, she picked up her books and waved. "All right, all right, shan't disturb you any longer. I'm off to do my own work; thanks for helping with the books!"

The human whirlwind was finally gone. Souichi heaved a sigh of relief and opened his logbook. Yuki Manami had somehow become a friendly face, especially after her visit to their home. That was all well and good; the problem was with her teasing! Seriously, the woman never let go of any chances to tease him about Morinaga! Was it that entertaining? First, she had asked about Morinaga's response to the leather briefcase and taken credit for introducing Souichi to the leather smith; now, she was in on his motives for cultivating the medicinal plant!

She had been wrong about it being a return gift though; it was actually his present for their wedding. Souichi paused in the midst of getting a microscope slide. Rather than another ring or an accessory, he had wanted to give something of more practicality to Morinaga. After endless rumination, he had finally hit on this idea. His forte was plant biology, after all.

Their wedding, huh. It was just going to be a simple signing ceremony though, followed by a luncheon. Matsuda- san had prayed for and gotten an auspicious date near the end of August, two weeks from now. It was still rather unbelievable that he was getting married, and to a man, to boot. A miracle, according to Morinaga. The silly man had too much poetry in his soul, seriously.

Ah, enough rambling. He had a riddle on his hand and, from the looks of it, he would be the one needing a miracle if he wanted to even talk about the plant to Morinaga in two weeks! Taking a pair of scissors, Souichi cut off a snippet of the plant's leaves. Work, werk.

* * *

"Sempai, is that you…? Welcome home…"

At the sound of Morinaga's voice, Souichi groaned. He closed the bedroom door behind him and took off his cardigan, laying it on the back of the chair. Coming home at one in the morning, he had tried to be as quiet as possible so as not to awaken the other man. It had obviously not worked, however. "Yea, I'm home. Go back to sleep, Morinaga."

"Hnnn…" Morinaga stretched, joints popping. He sat up on their bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily before getting up. Even in the dark, he managed to navigate his way to Souichi. The scent of sleep and soap surrounded him before he felt warm lips press against his head. "You must be hungry. I'll go heat up the dinner."

"No, Mori—" Morinaga was already out the door, steps soft on the stairs. Souichi huffed in exasperation and quickly changed into pajamas. The idiot! He had told Morinaga umpteen times not to wait up for him! At the rate that his experiment was going, Morinaga was going to die of lack of sleep before he succeeded! Souichi exited the bedroom and hurried to the kitchen, where the smell of miso soup and nikujaga was already wafting out.

"Eat up, eat up, Sempai. I added more meat into the dish just for you," Morinaga beamed at Souichi as he entered. He set a tray of the steaming food on the table, indicated for Souichi to sit and eat. "Want something to drink?"

"No. I just want you to go back to sleep." Souichi picked up his rice, frowning when Morinaga simply pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. "I can take care of myself!"

"Heh, is that so, Sempai? I seem to recall somebody nearly burning the kitchen down, a long time ago…" Even when Souichi socked him on the head, Morinaga continued to regard him with affection. "…Is the food good? You must have worked hard."

"…You know that the food is excellent," Souichi said, a tad peevishly. Morinaga did not seem to want to budge and, with his stubbornness, whatever that Souichi said would not induce him to go back to the bedroom. "Itadakimasu."

"Yea, eat to your fill, Sempai."

The only sounds in the kitchen were of his chopsticks clacking against the porcelain plates. As Souichi ate, Morinaga simply sat quietly and looked at him. Their late suppers required little conversation; the bustle of their lives had taught them the value of wordless communication, to simply take comfort in the presence of each other. It was also their only time together during the weekdays.

"Gonchisousama." Stomach filled, spirits recharged, Souichi put down his chopsticks and began to clean up. He took the dishes to the sink and turned on the tap, intending to wash them.

Arms wrapped around his waist; a broad chest pressed against his back. Souichi paused, soapy sponge in hand. He turned back and looked up into Morinaga's dark green eyes. He read the passion banked within, the desperation that had been growing all week since he started working overtime. "What are you…doing?"

"You know what I'm doing, Sempai…" Morinaga tilted Souichi's chin up, pressed a kiss on his lips. When he met with little resistance, the younger man turned Souichi around fully and pressed him into the counter. All signs of sleep were gone; now, his desire was openly alive. Roughly, Morinaga jerked Souichi up and coaxed his mouth open.

"Uhnnn…! Morinaga! Stop!" The suddenness of his onslaught, the ferocity of it, was too much for Souichi to handle. With a restraining hand, he managed to push Morinaga away. Both of them stood beside the sink, panting. "Doing this so suddenly—!"

"But it's been a week since we did it, Sempai! I can't take it, being apart from you for so long…!" Morinaga's eyes were smoldering. His hands sidled up Souichi's body, caressing his back, his chest, and his butt. It was as though he were searching for an antidote, the cure for his fever. Finally, his fingers flitted upwards and nudged into Souichi's mouth. "…I feel so far away from you sometimes that I get scared, Sempai. I don't get to see you in the day and I wouldn't even be able to see you if I didn't wake up for your suppers…our wedding's coming, but we don't even have time to sit down and go through the details properly…"

Well, just who was he staying so late back for, huh? Was it his fault that the plants were being so damned stubborn about dying? And here he was being blamed for neglecting Morinaga! Souichi bit on the man's fingers, suddenly pissed off. At the plants, at his inability to cultivate them, at Morinaga for guilt- tripping him. Hell, he knew that their wedding was nearing, all right! "…Get off."

"Sempa—"

"I said, get off! I'm not in the mood for this!" Souichi shoved Morinaga away. He caught a glimpse of his shock, his hurt. His heart throbbed in answer. In spite of that, he still stalked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Turning right instead of left, he entered the nursery.

His galloping heart jarred with the tranquility of the nursery. Alone, Souichi took a moment to collect himself at the door before he approached the crib. Emi's sleeping countenance came into view, reassuring him. He stroked her cheek, temporarily forgetting about his frustration. Ah, if only he could have spent some more time with her. She would wake up soon, though, to feed. At that time, he would have to prepare the milk.

Souichi gripped the crib tightly. There were so many damned things that needed his attention! He was only a man with twenty- four hours; even if he wanted to devote himself to his loved ones, there were times when he would not be able to do that! Damned that Morinaga. He was a grown man; why was he unable to withstand it just a little longer?!

_"I feel so_ _far away from you sometimes that I get scared, Sempai…"_

Morinaga's voice, tinged with loneliness. His eyes, longing and hungry. His body, pressed incessantly close, igniting in Souichi the memory of heated touches and sweaty connection.

A shiver ran through his body. Souichi pushed away from the crib, fatigued and irritated and damned bloody worked up. His hand wandered to the front of his pants and he felt the hardening ridge there. Sheer instinct had him stroking it, his palm sidling against it. The friction felt…delicious. Souichi shuddered and cupped his member. Kami.

"…Sempai."

Souichi's head jerked up as the connecting door to the master bedroom swung open. Dim light flooded into the nursery, lighting up his face, illuminating the fact that he was fondling himself.

The contriteness in Morinaga's eyes slid away and forlornness crept up to replace it. He stood at the doorway for a second, saying not a single word, suggestive or cajoling or otherwise. Then he turned away. A few seconds later, there was a creaking sound, a rustling of sheets. Morinaga had climbed into their bed.

The light in the master bedroom switched off. Suddenly, Souichi's view was thrown into darkness. His hand was still against his crotch, though he had forgotten about it. Morinaga had finally gone to bed, just as he had asked. It was late and both of them should sleep. So then, why was he still standing here, feeling like the worst human being alive?

"Fuck…" Throwing the word out, throwing down the gauntlet, Souichi entered their bedroom and shut the door to the nursery. He reached their bed and glanced at the huddle of sheets that hid his upset lover. Damnit, in front of this man, he had no pride. No pride, just the urgent need to explain himself and take away the pain. "Morinaga."

There was no answer. Morinaga continued to hide his head from Souichi. His silence was so eloquent that Souichi could not help but feel ashamed of his temper. It was clear that Morinaga was not the only one yearning for something; berating him for it had been hypocritical on Souichi's part. He tried once more, this time sitting on the edge of the bed and putting his hand on the man's shoulder. "Morinaga."

"…I'm fine, Sempai. Just go and sleep—I won't disturb you. Goodnight."

"If you are fine, then why aren't you looking at me?" With difficulty, Souichi managed to pull the blanket down. Morinaga's profile came into view, black hair all mussed up, eyes tightly shut. Souichi took hold of Morinaga's shoulders and made him face him. "Stop pretending to sleep! Look at me."

"I don't want to…" Like a little boy, Morinaga put his arms up and shied his eyes, as though by doing that, Souichi could not see his expressions. "Why should I, when you prefer touching yourself to letting me do it? You don't need me, even though I'm about to die from wanting you!"

Morinaga's words relieved him, to the point that he had to smile. Souichi pulled Morinaga's arms away and sure enough, the man was pouting, bottom lip sticking out just like Emi when she wanted a hug. "Don't tell me—you are sulking?"

"I'm not! Don't look at me! Just—just go to sleep, Sempai. If you continue to touch me, I won't be able to control myself any longer! Kami, letting me see you touch…you are really killing me, Sempai!"

Such tantrum. Did he want to be treated like their baby daughter? Souichi thought about it and flushed. No, Morinaga would definitely not want something so…chaste. Then it just meant that both of them wanted the same thing. Another bolt of desire shot directly to his groin and Souichi gritted his teeth, more against the surging horniness than his innate embarrassment. He leaned down and hesitantly wrapped his arms around Morinaga. If his body were really more honest than his mouth, as Morinaga always said, then he would let it do all the talking, and apologizing.

"Ehhh…?" Morinaga was suddenly all attention. His voice rumbled around Souichi's ear, making him shiver in response. Seeming to forget that he was supposed to be sleeping, Morinaga answered his embrace, pulling Souichi until he was reclining fully on him. The feel of Souichi's arousal seemed to make him very happy. Both men regarded each other fully, communicating their mutual feelings. Morinaga's eyes were no longer lonely, just delighted and passionate. "You want me, Sempai?"

"…Do I have to make it any more obvious!"

"Hehhe, nope! Nope, nope, nope!"

"Wahh—stop; you are gonna ruin my pajamas!"

"Who cares!"

* * *

"Urgh, damnit! Why the fuck do you keep dying!"

Souichi threw down the shovel and glared at his twentieth-first, twentieth- second and twentieth- third samples, all withered. This was only the third day after the seedlings had sprouted but now, all that remained were brown weeds. Fuck, he had already perused all the available texts on _C. officinale _and followed the conditions for their growth faithfully. Where the hell had he gone wrong?

Souichi picked up a pot and poked despondently at the sad remains of his efforts. It was not uncommon for genetically recombined plant samples to have low survivability but the speed and complete withering of the seedlings was just plain weird and inexplicable. It almost felt as though his plants had been poisoned. But what exactly was the cause? The fertilizer that he had used might be the root of the problem, after all.

This called for an analysis on the soil and fertilizer, then. He would check the water, too, just in case. So decided, Souichi exited the greenhouse and headed to the university's main building. His cell rang at the moment.

"Hello?"

_"Tatsumi- san? Prof. wants to have a meeting with you later this afternoon. Do you have time?" _Manami's voice spoke through the receiver.

Since when had Manami become the professor's personal assistant? He could have sent an email to Souichi for the appointment. Ah, well, whatever. "Yes, I'll be free. What does he want to talk about?"

_"Ehh, you'll have to find out later. He didn't tell me! Then, I'll pass the message to Prof. See you in the lab!"_

"Yea, see you. Thanks, Yuki- san." Souichi hung up.

Afternoon came and Souichi reached Professor Satou's office five minutes before the appointed time. He knocked and was answered with a terse, "Come in."

"Sorry to disturb." Souichi entered the wide office with its brimming shelves of books. A double- paned window let in the sunlight and fresh air. Beneath it was a L- shaped glass and chrome table, equipped with a desktop and piled high with research papers. Sitting behind the impressive desk was his principal investigator and team leader, Professor Satou. "Good afternoon, Professor. I understood that you wanted to see me."

"Tatsumi- kun. Take a seat." Without looking up, Prof. Satou continued to mark out sections in a paper as he spoke. His long, dry fingers held a red pen with a steady grip that drew firm lines across sentences.

Souichi took a seat and took the chance to study the surroundings and his professor. His supervisor was a tall, reedy man, as unbending and eminent as an oak. He favoured strict suits and stripped blouses, sleek laptops and modern furnishings. Having been under his tutelage for four months, Souichi also knew that he was a strict and demanding teacher, a dedicated and esteemed researcher. His name appeared in more than forty research articles and reviews, all of them published in prestigious and respected journals.

"I heard that you've been researching on _Cnidium officinale._" That was the first utterance in ten minutes.

"Yes…but that is only for an independent study," Souichi replied. He wondered where this conversation was going.

"What's the area of research?" Prof. Satou had the ability to utter every question like a statement. His educated, slightly brusque tone was monotonous and arresting at the same time.

"Genetic modification for the plant. I inserted an amplifier promoter into the gene for factor CAN2 to increase its expression, in the hopes that the anti- tumour abilities of the root would increase in potency." Souichi answered him smoothly, knowing that Prof. Satou could follow him perfectly.

"Right. Explain why you decided on this gene, and that particular promoter."

And so the discussion went on, with Prof. Satou shooting out each question like a bullet, and Souichi answering him as completely as he could. It was starting to feel like an inquisition until, finally, the professor stopped writing and looked at him directly for the first time since he had come in.

"I want you to write up a proposal on your experiment, indicating the aim, materials, methods, and hypothesis. Hand it in to me by the end of the week. If I find it satisfactory, I will submit it to the grants board. We will see if we would even reach that stage, if at all. You are dismissed."

The professor's words were slowly sinking into his understanding. Souichi blinked and kept a steady gaze on his teacher. If he had not heard wrongly, then what Prof. Satou had just offered him was…amazing. When Prof. Satou looked up again and saw that he was still there, he raised a quizzical brow. "Is there a problem?"

"Ah, no. No. Thank you, Professor. I will take my leave now."

"Please do. Shut the door properly behind you, please." The man peered at Souichi for a last time, faded eyes still piercing sharp in his assessment. "Hrmph. Let's see how far you will go."

"Then, excuse me." He was quite sure that that last statement had been rhetorical. Souichi bowed and left the office, making sure that he shut the door properly. He had barely taken a step away when somebody popped out from nowhere, surprising him.

"So, so, what did the professor want with you? Tell me everything!" Yuki Manami had been lying in wait and she immediately pounced on him.

"Uh, it might be better to get away from here first." Souichi gestured dryly back towards the professor's office.

"Hmm, you are right; let's go to the main lab! We can talk at leisure there, then." With that, Manami tugged at his arm and pulled him through the hallway, down the stairs and through the doors. She did not stop until they had reached his bench. "All right, so spill."

"Hold your horses. Sit down first, you."

Souichi pulled up a chair and Manami promptly plopped down on it, her gaze expectant. The large lab was quietly busy, mainly filled with graduate students and research assistants carrying out their experiments. Souichi swept a customary glance around the place before settling down to tell Manami about the news. "So, it seems that Prof. Satou is rather interested in my independent study."

"Ah, that's right! I told you that, right? It's because he asked me about you! The fact that your research has gotten his interest is fantastic! He doesn't recruit new projects so easily, you know. If he thinks that your research has value, then it most certainly does! Did he ask you to write a proposal?"

"Ehh, yes. I told him that it was just a side thing, something to do in my spare time. He didn't seem to care, though."

"You told me that your research is on _C. officinale_, right? Since it has medicinal properties that are supported by other studies, he probably thinks that studying it would be beneficial scientifically as well as commercially," Manami pondered. "Hmm, but medicinal plants are not really in Prof. Satou's basket of expertise. Prof. Naoki spearheads most of such projects…"

"Well, but plant genetics is right up his alley, so I'm sure that's why he's interested in my project. Regardless, I'm going to write up the proposal and hand it in. We'll see how it goes, then." Souichi whipped out his cell and typed a rapid message. He hit 'send'. Morinaga would surely ask for details but for now, a simple note would suffice.

"Messaging Morinaga- kun, ehh?" Ever the merciless tease, Manami chortled at Souichi's murderous expression. "This is great news, though! He would be happy for you."

"Un." Not keen to share his private life in school so freely, Souichi veered the topic away from his partner. He pointed at his latest plant samples and brought Manami's attention to the dead plants. "A grant is fine and all, but I wouldn't even be able to convince the panel if I don't solve the issue of the plant's low survivability."

"You are right. So, no idea yet on what could have led to this?" Manami perused each sample carefully, her scientist eyes taking in the green- black hue of the leaves. "The colour looks…weird."

"Exactly. I haven't seen a dead plant with that colour before, unless you count decayed ones. These ones just died this morning, though. They shouldn't have decomposed so quickly."

"Well, let's do a chemical analysis on the plants, the soil and the fertilizer. We could then perhaps elucidate the physical and biochemical reasons behind the deaths."

"My thoughts, exactly." Glad that he had found a second opinion on his prognosis, Souichi immediately began to list out the analysis that he wanted to carry out. "Thanks, Yuki- san."

"No problem. Just, one more thing, though." Manami glanced around her shoulder before leaning in to talk to Souichi.

"Hmm?"

"It might be good if you didn't talk about the grant prospects with Nakanishi- san. His project proposal just got rejected, so he's rather upset about it at the moment."

"Nakanishi…?" Try as he might, Souichi could not conjure a face to match with the name. It did sound rather familiar, though.

"Nakanishi! Nakanishi Shin! You know, our research teammate? He's the oldest postgraduate in Prof. Satou's group." Manami smacked a palm against her forehead. "Really tall, really quiet man? The one who can operate all of the liquid and gas chromatography machines with ease?"

"A-ah…Nakanishi. He did the mass spectrometry for the herb research last week, isn't it?" Souichi finally recalled his teammate. Damn, he should really start to pay attention to his surroundings even when immersed in his work…

"Exactly. So, now that you know who he is, try not to bring up the topic of proposals and grants, okay? This is already his third rejection, if I'm not wrong." Manami Yuki may look and appear careless but the extensiveness of her grapevine was fantastic.

"Un. It's not as if I'd go around flaunting, anyway. Thanks, though."

"I know you aren't that sort but, just in case, you know?"

"Sure." Souichi had just barely replied when the man in question entered the lab. Even though he was easily one hundred- and eighty- centimeters tall, Nakanishi Shin cut a discreet figure with his simple hairdo and unobtrusive aura. He was clutching a pile of folders in his arms and, as he passed Souichi and Manami, the man nodded at them, his small smile as sad as though he had frowned.

"…I can see what you mean, Yuki- san." The gloominess around Nakanishi was thick enough to cut with a knife. Souichi felt a pang of sympathy go to him. It sucked when one's work was not recognized, or when the area of one's research interest was deemed unworthy of further study.

"Right? That's why I think it's better to keep your proposal to yourself first." Manami's brown eyes were soft with sympathy too.

Souichi glanced down at his logbook, which contained the details of his independent study. Now that he was in the academic field, the topic of grants was a sensitive one because it was highly covetable and yet difficult to garner. In Todai, applying for a grant must be even more stringent. Success would mean prestige, while failure would bring double the disappointment. Souichi glanced once more at Nakanishi's slumped back and bit his lip. This was a rare opportunity that Prof. Satou had quietly dropped into his lap. Now, it meant more than just a wedding gift; it was a chance for him to cut his path in the academic world. He had better put in the best effort.

* * *

**To be continued.**

**a/n: New story! Sorry for the extra duper long wait but please, continue to enjoy. It is great to be able to write, but absolute joy to have somebody enjoy it. Thank you :)**


	2. Gifts

**a/n: Here's chapter 2!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Gifts**

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

One fine afternoon found Tetsuhiro in the plush and opulent interiors of Tiffany &amp; Co, Ginza.

"Welcome!" The well trained staff of the premier jewelry store greeted in chorus, well- coiffed heads all bowed in synchrony.

Tetsuhiro took a step in and his foot immediately sank into the thick carpet that lined the entire store. It was as though he had just entered the home of a very wealthy tycoon; instead of a typical layout found in jewelry shops, Tiffany's mezzanine invited patrons in with couches of butter leather and tables of marble. Silk drapes in champagne and gold hung over the window glass, lit up by twinkling droplights. Individual glass cases atop platinum stands stood strategically amongst the furniture, showcasing the exquisite jewelry that the luxury brand was famous for. Surrounded by such understated and yet obvious symbols of wealth, Tetsuhiro was, understandably, a little nervous.

"Good afternoon, sir." A strikingly beautiful lady approached him, delicate perfume wafting from her porcelain skin. Dressed as she was in a sharply- tailored suit and dark stockings, she fitted perfectly with the plush settings of the store. A polite smile graced her face, which helped to ease Tetsuhiro's discomfiture. "May I help you?"

"Err, yes. I'm looking for wedding bands." Glad that the sales person had come to him instead of the other way around, Tetsuhiro bowed clumsily and started to look around the place, trying to see if there were any rings on display.

"Yes, sir. This way please."

Tetsuhiro was led to a winding staircase that he had not noticed and they started to climb, shoes clacking elegantly against the glass steps. The stairs opened up to the second floor, which was as subtly luxurious as the first. Tetsuhiro followed the lady to one of the glittering cases, where he was beckoned to sit.

"Please take a look at all of our available designs for engagement and wedding bands. This is our gold section and here, the white gold and platinum designs." The sales attendant went behind the jewelry case and donned on kid gloves. She smiled again at Tetsuhiro.

"Ah, thank you…" Tetsuhiro startled a little when another attendant swooshed in silently and presented him with a tray of tea and biscotti. He thanked her and then brought his attention back to the cases. Wedding bands of myriad designs were displayed intricately beneath tempered glass. There were the traditional gold bands, then white gold, then platinum. There were plain ones and there were also diamond encrusted ones. The common factor amongst the rings was that they were all displayed in pairs, one for the bride, one for the groom. "May I have a closer look at this, this, and this?"

"Yes, sir."

The attendant dutifully took out each design and placed them on a sateen case. The twinkling lights overhead sparked off on the glossy designs, turning gold into fiery fire, platinum into dazzling moonlight. Tetsuhiro picked out the one that had caught his eye first and twirled it gently between his fingers. It was lovely.

"This is our Lucida band ring with a 0.07 carat diamond set in platinum, 4mm wide," the attendant listed out the details as Tetsuhiro admired the ring. "One of our most abiding designs, it signifies everlasting love and union. Sir, would you like to try it on?"

Tetsuhiro nodded and slid the ring onto his finger. Ah, so pleasing to the eye. The smooth platinum was a perfect fit, the solitary diamond sparkling and twinkling. Tetsuhiro curled his fist, admiring the curvature. He could just imagine how it would look like, adorned on Sempai's beautiful finger.

"Sir, it looks wonderful on you." The attendant smiled, pleased for him. "Would you like to look at other designs?"

"Other designs, huh…" Tetsuhiro paused in admiring the ring and glanced at the others that he had shortlisted. Darn, if only Sempai were here to choose the rings together! Tetsuhiro was regretting his hasty decision to keep the rings as a surprise; now the onus to buy them was solely on him! Urghh. He wanted to kick himself. The designs here were in multitude and pretty beyond words; what if the one that he liked did not suit Sempai?

Urgh, enough of what- ifs. What was done was done and he only had a little time left before he had to go and fetch Emi home. Tetsuhiro straightened his shoulders and focused once more on the rings in front of him. If he had to choose… "I think I'd take the Lucida ring, Miss."

"Very well, sir. It's a superb choice," the lady replied. She replaced the other rings, movement practiced and elegant. "Is this size suitable for you?"

"Yes, it is. Also, I would like another of this design in a size smaller." Tetsuhiro took off the ring with regret and placed it gently in the attendant's gloved hand.

"You would need two rings of the same design, sir? Is it for your wife? If you'd like, I could show you the pairing ring for this. It is also a Lucida, 3mm wide, platinum band set with a one- carat solitaire." As she spoke, the attendant took down the two sizes that Tetsuhiro had mentioned. Then, she picked out the ring that she was describing and placed it on the sateen case for Tetsuhiro's perusal. "The lady's design is more delicate and intricate, suitable for your wife."

Tetsuhiro picked up the sparkling ring and held it gently in his palm. For the wife, for the lady. He glanced at the cases of engagement and wedding rings, seeing not the designs but the inherent, assumed, gender pairings. Nowhere could he see a case where male rings were paired together, or female ones. Even now, after he had specified that he wanted two male rings of different sizes, he was still expected to buy a female design, because his partner surely must be one. Tetsuhiro suddenly felt an acute sense of loneliness. The delineation between 'normalcy' and his world pierced his heart for a very clear instant. He replaced the ring and smiled at the sales attendant, who had not meant any harm when introducing the lady's design to him. "No, thank you. I would just like to have the Lucida in that two sizes I specified."

"No problem, sir. Please wait a moment. You will be required to fill in your particulars so that we could obtain the new rings for you. There will be a week of waiting, is that all right with you?" Without showing any sign of surprise at Tetsuhiro's unusual request, the attendant bowed and brought out the forms that required his signature.

"It's fine. Thank you."

* * *

Tetsuhiro was bowed out of Tiffany's fifteen minutes later. He stepped onto the cobbled pavement and turned back to look at the elegant shop front. He had just made the most important purchase of his life—the rings that would signify his bond with Souichi. A tiny smile tugged at his mouth. Then he turned and started walking away. The sun shone brightly, his step light. It was a beautiful day.

He was nearing the subway when he felt his mobile vibrate. Whipping it out, Tetsuhiro saw Souichi's name on the display and he immediately opened the message.

_Sender: Sempai! _

_Subject: Today_

_Just received notice that I might be getting a grant for one of my research. Will tell you more when I get home, around 7, as you coerced me into promising._

Yes! Sempai was really going to come home early! Tetsuhiro typed back a message filled with smiley emoticons and hit 'send'. He quickened his step, anxious to get to the childcare centre then back to home. Man, if he had known that Sempai would be so agreeable post- coital, he would have requested for many more things, like more sex, or more kisses, or more hugs. Tetsuhiro sighed dramatically. What a waste of opportunity!

Thirty minutes later, he had reached the steps of the childcare centre. Tetsuhiro entered the building and was immediately greeted by the grandma that ran the place. "Evening, baa- chan. I'm here to get Emi- chan!"

"Ahh, Morinaga- kun. Yes, please wait a moment," the granny beamed at him and bade him to take a seat. "Tsubaki! Morinaga- san is here! Could you bring Emi- chan out, please?"

"Hai!"

Moments later, his daughter made her entrance. Tetsuhiro stood up quickly and took over from the other lady of the house. At four months old, Tatsumi Emi's hair was thick and glossy and she had gained a lot of baby fat. Like a little round ball of adorableness, Emi smiled up at him and gave him her customary smack on the cheek. "Emi- chan! Papa has missed you."

"Morinaga- san, we took Emi- chan's weight today. We are pleased to say that her weight is well within the healthy range. She's been doing fine!" The granny's granddaughter, Tsubaki, informed Tetsuhiro.

"That's great! I'm just sad that I can't spend every moment with her. Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter," Tetsuhiro said and bowed. Emi squirmed in his arms and he had to straighten in a hurry.

"You are very welcome. We are always happy to have her here! She's such a sweet angel," Tsubaki beamed.

"Then, I'll be off! Thanks so much. We will bring her around again tomorrow!" Tetsuhiro gathered his belongings and fastened Emi safely in her swaddle.

When he had stepped out of the centre, the two ladies looked at each other. The granddaughter was the first to break the silence. "It's back to Morinaga- san, ehh."

"Un." The grandmother grunted noncommittally.

"Pssh…I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Tatsumi- san again! He has such a dreamy look…" Undeterred by her granny's monosyllabic reply, Tsubaki continued, completely blasé about the fact that her eye candy was already a father. "That slim jaw, those golden eyes! And the hair! Kami, I'd kill to have hair that silky."

Her grandmother and matron of the childcare centre pinned a beady eye on her granddaughter and then smacked her buttocks. "Ara, such nonsensical talk, Tsubaki, and about our ward's parents moreover! Now, go and sterilize all the milk bottles in the kitchen!"

Tsubaki pouted but nodded obediently. "Yes, madam!"

When her wayward granddaughter had disappeared into the other part of the house, the old lady walked to the front door and made to close the gate properly. From that vantage point, she could just make out the retreating figure of Tetsuhiro. Even from afar, she knew that he would be fussing over his baby and taking every chance to hug and kiss her. She smiled; one that creased her already lined face. It was good to know that he was back.

* * *

The clock was just ticking five minutes past seven in the evening when the front door slammed and Souichi entered the house. "I'm home."

Tetsuhiro poked his head out from the kitchen. "Sempai, welcome home!"

"Un. What's for dinner?" Having disposed his belongings in the living room, Souichi padded into the kitchen. "Something smells good."

"Heheh, but of course! I made your favourite dishes, Sempai," Tetsuhiro finished mixing the tempura batter and set it beside the wok of oil. With deft fingers, he dabbed a prawn in it before slipping it into the waiting oil.

"Tempura? Awesome." Souichi glanced over Tetsuhiro's shoulder and observed the bubbling oil for a moment, hands akimbo.

Sempai was standing so close, close enough that his chin was almost resting on his shoulder. Tetsuhiro continued to add more ingredients into the oil, outwardly composed but inwardly ecstatic. Really, could Sempai get any cuter? Was this how he was like when he was thoroughly comfortable with the other person?

"Da—!"

Emi's shriek got Souichi's attention and he immediately turned. Spotting their daughter on her high chair, Souichi abandoned Tetsuhiro and went straight to her. He hoisted her up by the armpits and dangled her high in the air. "Ah, so you finally greeted Daddy, huh? Good girl!"

Emi giggled, breathless with laughter. As Souichi brought her down and started tickling her, she wriggled and squirmed, looking like the world's most adorable munchkin. Tetsuhiro had tied a pink ribbon in her hair and it slid lopsidedly as she played with her Daddy. "Da! Da!"

"Yes, yes. Were you a good girl today? You didn't bully the aunties at the daycare, did you?" Souichi hoisted her so that they were eye- to- eye and their little girl looked back at him brightly. His countenance was soft as he held his daily conversation with her. "Daddy brought home something from work today. Do you want to see it?"

"What did you bring back, Sempai?" Tetsuhiro drained the tempura and placed them on a paper- lined plate. He was enjoying every bit of this domestic bliss, their little kitchen filled with warmth and voices (though he might just be a little jealous that Emi- chan could steal Sempai's attention instantaneously, bleagh). They had precious few moments like this, since both parents were working. "Also, the childcare granny said that all's fine with Emi- chan and her weight's in the healthy range."

"That's good to hear. She should be teething soon, too." Souichi peered into Emi's mouth as he spoke, trying to see if there was a hint of ivory in her gums. He glanced at Tetsuhiro. "I brought you something from school."

"For me?" At the news, Tetsuhiro brightened. Yet another gift from Sempai? Was it going to snow in August?! He quickly finished setting the table and scooted to sit across from Souichi. "What is it?"

"A plant." Souichi placed Emi back on her high chair. Though she was still unable to eat solids, they had started this ritual to include her in their mealtimes. The man sat down and picked up his chopsticks, no other information forthcoming.

"A plant?" Tetsuhiro echoed, confused. "But why would I need a plant?"

"…Well, fine. If you don't need it, I'll just bring it back to school tomorrow, then." Souichi snapped, peeved. He began to eat and ignored Tetsuhiro when he touched his arm.

"But, I wouldn't know if you didn't tell me why, Sempai. Please, don't be angry? I'm happy that you got me something." Tetsuhiro picked up a tempura prawn, a favourite; placed it on Souichi's bowl as an olive branch. "Ne, what kind of plant is it?"

Souichi glanced at the large and crispy prawn on his rice, clearly debating whether or not to accept it. In the end, however, he picked it up and took a big bite off it. With every chew, his ire cooled and his initial diffidence returned. "…It's for the wedding. Didn't you say that each of us should get the other person something? Well, the plant's my something."

"Oh." The significance of the plant finally sank in. Tetsuhiro forgot about the rice that he had just picked up and it promptly dropped back into the bowl. He immediately stood up, chair scrapping against the wooden floorboards. "I want to see the plant!"

"What the—stop, Morinaga! We're in the middle of dinner, if you realize! Baka!" Souichi, too, rose and he grabbed hold of Tetsuhiro, effectively halting him. "I'll show it to you afterwards!"

"But it's your wedding gift to me! Of course I'd want to see it as soon as possible! Just let me take a quick peek—" Still rearing to go and see his plant, Tetsuhiro took another step.

"No! Finish the food first!" Commanding and terrorizing, the blush on Souichi's face was nonetheless fully aflame. He pushed up his glasses and huffed, completely thrown off- rhythm by Tetsuhiro's enthusiasm. "There wouldn't be anything to see anyway, since I just planted the seed into the soil today!"

"Oh..." Tetsuhiro sank back into his chair, disappointed. Soon, though, his spirits bounced back, irrepressible. "Ne, what plant did you get me, Sempai? Is it a new species that you created in the lab?"

"Finish the food first! I'll tell you everything later." Souichi shoved food into his mouth brusquely and smacked Tetsuhiro's hand when he tried to feed him.

"Bah…" Tetsuhiro sighed and looked at Emi with long- suffering. "Emi-chan, Daddy's bullying Papa! What should I do?"

"You will do nothing!" Souichi snapped. His long leg kicked Tetsuhiro's. That, unfortunately, earned him a foot caress, which he then quickly tried to dodge.

Their daughter merely giggled, diapered bottom bouncing excitedly off the high chair. And that was how the remainder of their dinner went, coloured by camaraderie and familial love.

* * *

The clock was chiming eight in the evening when the Tatsumi- Morinaga family finally settled in the living room. They had set a futon on the floorboards and surrounded it with bolsters and cushions. Emi lay on it, docile and sated after her dinner bottle. Eyore sat beside her, a watchful guardian.

Both Tetsuhiro and Souichi had their laptops switched on. Souichi was preparing to work on his proposal and had a ream of research articles as reference. Tetsuhiro, on the other hand, had taken out his laptop to do some work for his office. It was turning out to be a productive night.

The small earthen pot that Souichi had brought back was on the coffee table. Tetsuhiro picked it up and peered into the dark soil within, curious about its contents. Sempai had brought it back especially for him. "Ne, Sempai. What plant is this?"

"Have you heard of _Cnidium officinale_? It's a medicinal herb. Its rhizomes have wide medical benefits." As Souichi spoke, he pointed to the pile of papers and nodded when Tetsuhiro picked up the first one. "Its benefits in alleviating pain, inflammation and high blood pressure are well- known, but there are also studies pointing to its use in inhibiting tumour metastasis." Able to multi- task at ease, Souichi began typing out the first draft of his proposal as he explained about the plant to Tetsuhiro.

"Wow…" Tetsuhiro scanned through the research paper, taking in the major points of the findings. "Oh, I believe that they are growing this in quantity in Hokkaido now! The rhizomes are very popular in traditional Chinese medicine."

"Yea. There is extensive research on this herb in the Chinese research fields, I believe. What I'm trying to do here is quite different, though," Souichi said. He tilted his laptop so that Tetsuhiro could see the word document that he was typing out. "I'm trying out some genetic modifications to the original species to see if I could increase the potency of the rhizomes, especially in the context of cancer prevention. I'm just at the hypothesis stage, though. This would require more research, hence the grant application."

"Ah…so you've already successfully modified the plant?" Tetsuhiro pointed to his pot. "This contains the genetically recombined seed?"

"Yea. It's just a preliminary sample, though. I'm not sure how it'd turn out, especially since the seedlings have been dying rather quickly…" Souichi sounded irked. He strove for perfection in his work and was understandably upset about this setback. He picked up the pot and twirled it thoughtfully in his hand. "…Sorry that I couldn't give you a perfected sample."

"But, this is awesome enough, already! Sempai, I can just imagine the difficulty you had in handling the genes and executing the recombination. I'm just sad that I can't be there to help you out with the experiments." Tetsuhiro would always be in grief over this inalterable fact.

"But, it's a huge thing that you are embarking on! If you succe—no, when you succeed, countless people would be saved from the pains of cancer! And you are giving this gift to me." Tetsuhiro touched Souichi's hand, smiling when he jerked in reflex. "Thank you. I like it very much."

"…It's nothing to thank me for…idiot," Souichi mumbled, ears red. His hand remained cupped beneath Tetsuhiro's. Both of them remained thus for a while, Tetsuhiro beaming away, Souichi mortified enough for the both of them. Work beckoned but even that could not get between the two of them.

It really felt as though he could touch Sempai's heart. The walls and spikes that had been intended to keep Tetsuhiro out no longer existed. Rather, there was only resistance from Souichi when Tetsuhiro asked for too much, or was overly affectionate. It was an innate tendency for Sempai, who was not touchy- feely or sappy by nature. Tetsuhiro was working his way around this last barrier, though. After all, he who perseveres gets the reward, right?

"…Morinaga, what is your hand doing?" Souichi gazed down at Tetsuhiro's spidering hand, which was slowly caressing its way from his palm to his arm.

"Oh, is it doing something? Nope, nothing, the last time I checked," Tetsuhiro replied cheerfully. His hand glided across Souichi's skin, savouring the smoothness. His Sempai had the nicest skin.

"Get a hold of yourself, idiot—!" Souichi roared, eyes flaring. He grabbed Tetsuhiro's wandering hand and jammed it tightly between the sofa cushions. "Just because I gave you a present doesn't mean that I'm okay with you molesting my arm!"

"M-molesting? How could you call that molesting? After all, you are my fiancé, and I'm yours—Sempai, I'm just speaking the truth; there's no need to use that—!" Tetsuhiro cowered before a furious Souichi as he held up the thick ream of papers over his head.

"Ehh, so somebody's head is getting big, huh? Maybe the air inside needs some releasing; let me be the one to help!"

"Noooo, Sempai! Really, should you be wasting time hitting me, now? You do have a proposal to rush out, right?" Desperate, Tetsuhiro quickly tried to divert Souichi's attention. He pointed to the laptop and the plant. "If you don't submit it on time, the grant application would be jeopardized!"

Souichi remained in his attack stance for a moment but it seemed that Tetsuhiro's advice had been effective. He slowly lowered his weapon and then resettled into his sitting position. "…You are right. Fine, I shall let you off the hook tonight but—! One more disturbance from you and I'll flatten your head! Understand?"

"Yes, yes. But first, just let me do this—" Before Souichi could fathom what he meant, Tetsuhiro had already lunged forward and pressed his lips against his. Satisfied, Tetsuhiro broke it off and smiled fondly, if cheekily. "Work hard, Sempai. I love you."

"…!" Defeated and somehow unable (or unwilling?) to retaliate, Souichi could only do his best rendition of a miffed lover and immerse himself in work.

* * *

An hour passed, then two. The men were industrious, breaking off from work only to check up on their daughter. Emi, the sweetheart, had fallen asleep, lulled by the fan and the steady clicking sounds of her fathers' keyboards. Souichi checked on her first, sitting by the futon and ruffling her black hair. Tetsuhiro came next and kissed her. He had retrieved her mittens and now put them on her little hands and feet so that she would not catch a cold.

Finally, when the clock struck eleven- thirty, Tetsuhiro shut down his laptop and got to his feet, stretching and yawning. He glanced over at Souichi, who was still frowning and typing away at his laptop. "Sempai, do you still have a lot to do?"

"Mhmm, quite. I'm kind of stuck at the part where I have to predict the plant's survivability. It's giving me a headache." Souichi muttered. He glanced up at Tetsuhiro, the little pucker of concentration still between his brows. "Go and sleep first if you're tired, Morinaga. You have an early day tomorrow. I can feed Emi at midnight."

"Nope, let me do it. Do you want something to drink, Sempai?" Tetsuhiro was already padding towards the kitchen as he asked.

"A cup of coffee, please. Thanks."

"Okay."

Once he had prepared Emi's milk and Souichi's coffee, Tetsuhiro returned to his family and set the cup of caffeine on the table. "Here, black with one cube of sugar, Sempai."

"Thanks. Damnit, looks like I'll have to stay up late for this…" Souichi reached for the cup of coffee and brought it to his lips. A grimace wavered across his face and he hurriedly set it back down.

Tetsuhiro, who had just picked Emi up and begun feeding her, noticed Souichi's unusual reaction. "Sempai, what's wrong? The coffee's too strong?"

"That must be it. The smell's a little…ah, but there's no need to make another one." Souichi grimaced again and pushed the cup far from him. "I don't feel like drinking coffee any longer."

"Okay…" Carefully, Tetsuhiro balanced the milk bottle against his chest and picked up the abandoned mug. He brought it back to the kitchen before returning to the living room. Emi, awake now, continued to suckle contentedly on the bottle.

Tetsuhiro was just finishing Emi's feeding when Souichi shut his computer and put his things back into his backpack. He glanced at the clock, noting that only fifteen minutes had passed. "Sempai?"

"I think that's it for tonight. I've been staying up late for the past weeks and it's catching up on me." Souichi yawned and removed his hair tie. He walked over to Tetsuhiro and gazed fondly at Emi. "Let me carry her."

"Okay. Here, careful. She likes to grab at anything she can reach recently," Tetsuhiro warned, looking at his lover's silky tresses. He slid Emi into Souichi's waiting arms.

"All right. Wanna go upstairs?" Souichi gazed at Tetsuhiro. Tiredness had softened his edges. The man was ready to retire for the night with his husband and child.

"Yes…yes, let's go, Sempai." Tetsuhiro was absurdly moved by Souichi's simple invite. He was really the luckiest man on the planet. He had Sempai; he had Emi- chan. They were the first faces that he saw when he awoke, the last when he closed his eyes. Their love had blossomed after so much trial but look, the fruit was oh, so sweet. Tetsuhiro took one last glance at his flowerpot before switching off the lights. He had a very good feeling that the seedling, his seedling, would bloom and prosper.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	3. Ripples beneath the surface

**a/n: And, another chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Ripples beneath the surface**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

Involved as he was with his independent study, Souichi still had his main studies to complete. At the moment, he was extracting some samples, which had to undergo liquid and gas chromatography to test for the components present.

He was preparing the samples and standards for liquid chromatography when somebody else entered the chamber. Souichi did not pay it much heed and he continued to pipette minute amounts of glucose, sucrose, lactose and galactose into the cuvettes.

"—mi- san. Tatsumi- san!"

Souichi finally heard his name being called and he looked up, irritated. Who the hell actually had the guts to disturb him, huh? A familiar- looking man was standing beside him, wearing an apologetic expression. "…Nakanishi- san, what is it?"

Nakanishi Shin, aged twenty- eight, was a brunette with soft eyes and fair skin. Tall and lanky, he was a shy man who never truly seemed comfortable in his skin. Hunched perceptually in his lab coat, Nakanishi was somebody who flitted in and out of the background, unassuming and harmless. At Souichi's barked query, the man bowed his head even further and indicated towards the acids on Souichi's bench. "Um, have you finished using the acid standards?"

"Yes. You may have them." Souichi placed all the acids into a red basket and handed them all to Nakanishi. Impatient to get back to his work, he asked brusquely, "Anything else?"

"No…thank you. I shan't disturb you any longer." Nakanishi's fingers accidentally brushed against Souichi's and the man blushed like a young girl. Without another word, he nodded his thanks before disappearing back to his bench.

What a quiet guy. Ah well, that was good; he did not need a boisterous presence that would destroy the conducive environment of the lab. Souichi finished preparing his samples and headed towards the machines. Nakanishi Shin had already faded from his mind by the time he turned the corner and went out.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Souichi was back at his desk with his computer booted up. He had the results from the ash analysis of his dead plants, the soil and the fertilizer and he was eager to see if they would contain the answers to the mystery of their quick deaths. He input the data into a spreadsheet and quickly compared the components from each sample to one another.

"This is strange…" Souichi mumbled, frowning ferociously as he studied the bar graphs. Even though all the samples contained similar minerals and chemical compounds, the amounts in the plant tissue and soil were about four times higher than those in the fertilizer. That should not be so, as he controlled the amounts of fertilizer to be added and had not added more than a few grams to each sample earlier. Had his samples become contaminated, or was there something wrong with the way he had conducted the analysis?

Perhaps the soil that he had been using was not suitable for the plant, after all. If the soil were too clayey and not aerated, _Cnidium officinale_ would not be able to survive. He would go and get some new soil from a gardening shop later, then; try out another way to increase the plant's survivability.

Rapid footsteps approached and moments later, there was a tap on Souichi's shoulder. He turned and once again, Nakanishi Shin was in front of him. Ehh, twice in a day?

"Tatsumi- san! Your—your—" Panting and out of breath, Nakanishi Shin had to stop for a moment before he finally continued. "Your LCMS samples have leaked out from the cuvettes and choked up the tubings of the machine!"

"Ehh—? What the hell happened?" Leaving his laptop open. Souichi immediately shot out of his seat and followed Nakanishi from the lab. The liquid chromatography analysis had been going well in the morning and he had left it running until they finished the next day.

"I have no idea, but when I entered the place after lunch, the machine was beeping and the screen was flashing a warning sign. I had to stop the analysis but have yet to remove your samples. I thought it'd be better for you to come personally and see." Nakanishi opened the door to the second lab and Souichi strode in rapidly.

"Shit…" The twenty samples and standards that he had carefully prepared earlier were still in the machine but the entire tray was wet. He quickly took them out, frowning. "But how could it have overflowed?"

"Did you pipette the recommended amounts into the cuvettes?" Nakanishi asked in concern.

"Yea, I did. They are all less than a milliliter!"

"It's a mystery… however, let me try to get the machine running again." The resident expert in the chromatography machines, Nakanishi immediately set about cleaning up the spill and clearing the choked portions of the tubings. All the while, the computer screen linked to the machine kept flashing a warning sign.

"Damn…" Souichi banged the table in frustration. He picked up the tray of samples and studied them. All of them were ruined now since the amounts were no longer accurate.

The two of them stayed beside the machine for the next hour as Nakanishi tinkered with the machine, trying to get it running again. At long last, after much checking and thumbing through the manual, he pressed a button and the previous data that had been transferred to the computer was restored. Nakanishi looked up at Souichi and smiled. "It's all right now, I think. I've also somehow managed to retrieve the data that was collected earlier if you need it, Tatsumi- san."

"You are really good at handling the machines, Nakanishi," Souichi had to applaud the man's efforts. The machine was complicated and most students had only been taught how to operate it, not troubleshoot when something went wrong. "Thanks for informing me right away."

"You are very welcome, Tatsumi- san. I just wish that your hard work had not been wasted…" Nakanishi said, looking sadly at Souichi's tray of samples. "Ah, I could help you to prepare the samples again, if you don't mind."

"There's no need for that—this is not even your fault. In fact, you've saved the entire team by repairing the machine," Souichi said. He glanced at his watch and determined that there was still time to run the analysis a second time. "Thanks again, Nakanishi."

"N-no problem! If you need help, I'll be around." Nakanishi looked very happy.

"Yea, bye." Hmm, this Nakanishi was a rather capable chap. Rather than the transparent man that he had never taken notice of, Souichi now had a pretty good impression of him. Everybody on the team was pulling his own weight and that was what Souichi liked to see. After all, why come to work if one did not endeavor to do his best?

After preparing the chromatography samples a second time and ascertaining that everything was running smoothly with the machine, Souichi headed back to the main lab, where his belongings were. The place was rather empty, considering that it was only three in the afternoon. Right, the others were away for a seminar with the professor that day. He had not gone because the event invitation had been closed even before he had started his stint at Todai. Appreciating the rare peace, Souichi quickly sat down at his desk, eager to complete his work.

His computer was still lit, the spreadsheet that he had opened earlier displayed on the screen. Strange that his laptop had not gone to sleep. Souichi did not think much about it and continued to arrange his data into neat tables. When he was finally satisfied, he went back to his desktop and clicked on an icon, intending to open the files that contained data for his _C. officinale_ work. Myriad subfolders opened up and he scrolled through them, trying to find the one that he wanted. Ah hah! Souichi double- clicked on it and waited, expecting his data to load.

Instead of loading the files, however, his laptop began to flash an error warning, indicating that the file that he wanted did not exist or was on a device that was currently inaccessible. Souichi, who had lounged against the chair for a short while, shot straight up and leaned towards his computer, disbelieving. What was this? He axed the warning and then tried to open the files again but to no avail. His important files were still displayed as icons on his computer but physically they were no longer there.

What the hell was going on? First, his plants kept dying for no apparent reason, next his experiments had gone awry; now, his files had disappeared! Alone in the large lab, Souichi sat in his cubicle, ruminating. Suspicions began to rise in his mind, horrible misgivings. Was he being…?

* * *

"I'm home." Souichi took off his shoes and dumped his bag on the floor. Without bothering to do anything else, he flopped onto the couch and shut his eyes. So tired…

"Sempai, welcome home! I made cold soba tonight since the weather's been horribly hot—are you okay? What's the matter?" Morinaga exited the kitchen, his face filled with smiles as always. The man noticed Souichi's prone figure and he quickly came near, concern replacing his greetings.

"Nhnn." Souichi opened an eye and saw his kouhai peering at him anxiously. Not wanting to make him worry, he sat back up and shook his head. "Nah, it's just been a long day at work. Lots of shitty things happened and all…"

"Shitty things? Want to share them with me?" Morinaga asked. He motioned for Souichi to turn around. Before long, strong fingers were kneading at his shoulders and back, releasing the tension that had gathered as the day passed.

Morinaga's presence was…comforting, something that Souichi found he needed, especially after a day swamped with doubt. He could share about the incidents with Morinaga but the truth was, he only had suspicions and no concrete evidence that somebody was deliberately causing trouble for him at work. After all, the plants could really have died from natural causes, his samples could have spilled if somebody had bumped into the machine, and his files might just have been infected by a virus and become inaccessible. There were so many possibilities and explanations for the incidents; jumping to conclusions and scaring Morinaga was not going to help matters. "…Nah, just the usual things. I can't expect my experiments to go well all the time. It just feels shitty, that's all."

"Sempai, you are always stressing yourself out unnecessarily…" Morinaga lifted Souichi's long hair and placed a kiss against his nape. He chuckled when Souichi turned and glared at him. Continuing with the massage he reminded Souichi gently, "Don't forget to ask for help when you need it at work, okay? Nobody can do everything alone."

"I know, baka. Wasn't that why you became my assistant last time? Tch…!" Souichi grumbled. He knew though that his kouhai had meant well. "Anyways, this other teammate in Prof. Satou's group helped me out today when my samples went awry. Initially, I didn't think much of him but he is actually quite a smart person."

Morinaga paused in his massage. After a few seconds, Souichi turned back questioningly. It was then that he saw the petulance in the younger man's eyes. "Why, what's the matter?"

"…You are praising him, Sempai. Who is this guy who has managed to get a compliment from you?" Morinaga asked glumly.

"Ah, he's just a colleague. And, it's not as though I've been stingy with my compliments, have I?" Souichi retorted, impatient. What was up with Morinaga?

"But you've never even praised me so quickly! I had to wait five years before you even mentioned that I was a good assistant! Who is he, and is he handsome? Is he attached or is he aiming for you?"

Morinaga's rapid- fire questions stunned Souichi, who had not even thought so much when he had brought up Nakanishi. Kami, Morinaga's head was really screwed on the wrong way! Souichi smacked him, exasperated. "Why would I bother so much about a colleague? He's just somebody who helped me today, that's all. And you—stop thinking that any person who approaches me harboured that kind of intention! You've already misunderstood Yuki Manami—do you want to go down the same path again?! Idiot!"

At the mention of Manami and the subsequent series of disasters that had happened, Morinaga quieted down, properly chastised. "…Sorry, Sempai."

"Just stop imagining nonsense, okay? I already have plenty on my plate without having to deal with your silly jealousy." Souichi sighed and ground his fists against the sides of Morinaga's head.

"It's not silly, Sempai. You are so attractive that I'm constantly worried that somebody else would snatch you away…" Morinaga hugged Souichi from the back, clinging on like a leech even when Souichi protested. "Promise me that you wouldn't fall for another person, Sempai? That you'd be mine and mine alone?"

"Hah, why would I make such a ridiculous promise? And, you are heavy, Morinaga!" Souichi tried elbowing him away but nothing would budge the man. "Urghh, this discussion is seriously getting on my nerves! Aren't we gonna get married next week? Who the hell else is gonna sign on that piece of paper other than you, huh? So, stop sprouting such nonsense, already!"

"Hehe…well, that's true." Sounding significantly comforted, Morinaga's high spirits were restored and he hugged Souichi even tighter. "I can't wait for next week, Sempai!"

"Ha, as if you haven't made that clear enough already, baaka." Souichi muttered crossly. Morinaga was the same as ever—irrational when it came to matters of love. This he knew and really, would he have changed it if he could? Probably not. It was what defined his partner and lover. Anything else would just be weird. Souichi huffed and settled more comfortably against the other man's chest. Since Morinaga wanted to be the sofa, let him be. He was tired, anyway.

* * *

He must have dozed off, for when Souichi next opened his eyes, he was lying on Morinaga's lap, a blanket over his body. Morinaga was eating his dinner from a bowl, watching television with the volume turned down. "...Did I fall asleep, Morinaga?"

"Ah, Sempai, you scared me! Yes, you fell asleep, but only for about an hour," Morinaga replied. He put down his bowl and let Souichi sit up. A warm hand caressed his face and Morinaga looked him over, taking in his pale skin and grumpy eyes. "Are you feeling okay, Sempai? You've seemed very tired lately."

"It's because that _C. officinale_ is as stubborn as you and refuses to cooperate," Souichi said dryly. He reciprocated the kiss that Morinaga initiated and only broke it off a few moments later. Morinaga tasted like pepper and tomato, a combination that he found that he did not dislike. "But enough about myself. How's your work been?"

"Going well! Our next five- year plan would be focusing on traditional herbal medicine, as I mentioned to you before. I brought up _C. officinale_ to Dr. Saga and he seemed rather interested. He told me to compile some information about the plant's medicinal properties and present it to him."

"That's great. The plant is right on trend in the pharmaceuticals industry. If my recombination worked, then there would be something new for your company to capitalize on. The research is not going to be that quick, though. It's better to focus on the plant's existing properties first." Talking about _C. officinale_ reminded Souichi about all of his problems again. He trailed off and frowned.

Morinaga, happy that his beloved was awake, snuggled Souichi once more before standing up. "Let me see your review articles later, Sempai. Meanwhile, I'll go heat up your dinner!"

"Sure, and thanks, Morinaga. I'll go and take a look at Emi, first."

"Okay!"

After checking up on his daughter and taking a quick shower, Souichi was back downstairs. His dinner was already on the coffee table and he set up his laptop beside it. It was lucky that he had always had the habit of backing up his work, so he had a copy of the lost files in his hard drive.

"Ah, Sempai, all that talk about the herb has reminded me—the plant is doing well! I was quite worried about the summer heat initially but it doesn't seem to have much of an adverse effect on its growth," Morinaga updated Souichi.

"It's growing well?" Souichi asked. That was news. His seedlings in the Todai greenhouse had all perished within a week of planting. "Did you add the fertilizer in the amounts that I told you to?"

"Yea, I did. Everything seems fine." Morinaga had picked up on Souichi's surprise and he inquired, "Ehh, is it not supposed to?"

"No…hmm…" A thought occurred to him and Souichi stood up and went into the kitchen. He retrieved a spoon and a plastic bag and headed back to the living room. Morinaga had placed the pot on the window ledge and he went to it. With the spoon, Souichi carefully took out a sample of the soil and sealed it in the bag. He was going to bring it to the lab tomorrow and test it. If somebody were sabotaging his plant samples, the results tomorrow would show it.

Morinaga stood up and joined him at the window. He picked up the pot and admired the little shoot that had started to show above the soil. "I hope that this would be successful, Sempai!"

"Yea, me too. Definitely." Souichi tucked the bag of soil in his backpack and a sense of determination came over him. If he found out that somebody had been wrecking his work, he would spare no efforts in catching him!

* * *

The next day dawned and Souichi was up early, preparing to go to work. Unlike other days, though, the enthusiasm for the routine was missing. Souichi tied up his hair, took one last look in the mirror and then went out.

The laboratory was livelier that day, as the scientists who were absent yesterday had returned. Souichi nodded at his teammates but did not bother to start small conversation. He had only one task on his mind. Taking out the bag of soil, he donned on his lab coat and began to prepare it for analysis.

The test took about an hour to complete. Souichi collected the results and saved it in both his thumb drive and hard disk. Subsequently, he turned on his computer and keyed in a new password. With almost inhuman focus, Souichi churned out the data compilation and comparison.

The soil from the plant at home contained all the chemicals from the fertilizer but in the amounts that corresponded to the amount of fertilizer that he had instructed Morinaga to add. This was unlike the soil samples from his plant samples kept at school, which indicated highly excessive dosages of the fertilizer. That the plants had exhibited symptoms of poisoning was not strange, then. If it was not him who had added the fertilizer, somebody else must have done it.

"Good morning, Souichi- san!"

Accompanied by his grim thoughts, Souichi was startled by the cheery voice that greeted him. Yuki Manami. She smiled at him and then continued on to greet her other colleagues, leaving Souichi alone once again.

Was she the culprit? After all, Manami knew about his independent study and he had also told her about his plants in the greenhouse. Or could it be Nakanishi Shin? He had been rejected for a grant and had perhaps heard about Souichi's application from somebody else. Wanting petty revenge, had the man sabotaged his samples and staged the incident with the liquid chromatography machine? Or could it be somebody else, somebody he did not know but held a grudge with him and his work?

He did not know. Souichi raked a hand through his hair. Fuck, what was the point in suspecting everybody? At this rate, he would be driven crazy by suspicions! It was no way to work. Urgh, if Morinaga were still working with him, he would at least have somebody he could trust wholly.

Morinaga was not with him, though. This was a battle that Souichi would have to fight alone. Involving Prof. Satou at this point would also be useless, as he only had the results of the soil samples to back up his words. He had no evidence for the other incidents. For now, the most that Souichi could do was to safeguard his data and samples.

"Tatsumi- san?"

Souichi turned and as he did so, shut his laptop lid. Nakanishi Shin smiled shyly at him and said, "Um, good morning, and sorry to disturb you. I was just checking the liquid chromatography machine this morning and noticed that your samples have finished running. Would you mind removing them? I need to use it next."

"Yea, sure." Could Nakanishi have done it? The thought swirled in Souichi's mind and he did not bother to pick up the threads of conversation that the tall brunette attempted to throw out.

Having been rebuffed by Souichi at every turn, Nakanishi finally stopped talking and both men entered the chromatography lab in a shroud of silence. He hovered around as Souichi went ahead to save his data and get rid of his samples.

"Thanks, Nakanishi. I'll see you around," Souichi nodded perfunctorily as he stepped out of the lab.

"Wait, Tatsumi- san!"

Souichi turned back, frowning. He was in no mood to chit- chat with anybody now! "What?"

Souichi's unforgiving tone clearly unnerved Nakanishi. The brunette pointed at the chromatography machine and said uncertainly, "Um, I actually wanted to talk to you about the incident yesterday. Contrary to what we initially thought, I don't think that it was an accident…"

"What?" Nakanishi's words echoed the suspicions that he had been harbouring. Souichi stalked back to the man and peered at the computer screen as indicated.

Glad that he finally had Souichi's attention, Nakanishi quickly clicked on the shared folder in the computer. "See here. These are all the saved chromatography data from last year till now. I was afraid that yesterday's malfunction would affect the data and so I did some checking…" Nakanishi clicked on yet another icon and the folder popped up, completely blank. "And I found out that only your data up till yesterday morning had disappeared. Everyone else's data are intact."

"Fuck. All of them?" Souichi grabbed the mouse roughly from Nakanishi and clicked on all the icons on the screen. The folders entitled with his name were still there but the raw data from the machine had all disappeared. He dove through all the folders but when the search still yielded nothing, he threw the mouse down and swore. "Damnit…who the fuck…"

Nakanishi sat quietly beside Souichi. "I tried to find ways to restore the data but the files were temporary, so there's no way to retrieve them once they have been permanently deleted…"

Souichi suddenly grabbed Nakanishi's collar and yanked him up, fury lending him force. "Was it you who deleted the files? You were in this lab the whole of yesterday, weren't you!"

"I'm not—Tatsumi- san, please let me go…!" Tall as he was, with at least ten kilograms on Souichi, Nakanishi's struggles were useless against Souichi's strength. "Why would I do this? I have no grudges against you…!"

"No grudges? Are you sure? Or did you somehow get wind of my grant application and then sabotaged me because your own proposal had been rejected?" Souichi's fingers clawed so tightly into Nakanishi's lab coat that he heard a tearing sound.

"What—a grant?" Nakanishi was so surprised that he forgot to struggle. "No, I didn't hear anything about it—Kami, do you mean that somebody is trying to stop you from getting it?"

"Wouldn't that person be you?" Nakanishi's surprise had been too instinctive to be faked. Souichi's anger lessened some but his grip on the man's coat remained. Even if Nakanishi looked like he would not hurt a fly, the things that had happened were far too coincidental!

"It's not me…I swear! It's true that my own proposal was rejected but it doesn't mean that I would deliberately destroy somebody else's hard work…it's the biggest sin that a researcher could do…" Nakanishi's cold hands closed over Souichi's fist and he gazed earnestly at him. "I would never do that kind of thing, especially to you, Tatsumi- san…!"

Souichi glanced at the other man's hands grasping his so tightly. Then he searched Nakanishi's face, scrutinized his beseeching eyes. There was only truth and desperation in them, and something else that Souichi did not really recognize. He let go of Nakanishi's collar and shrugged the man's hands off. "…Fine. I'll believe you this one time. But if I ever find out that you were lying, I'll pummel you!"

With that ultimatum, Souichi left his teammate behind and got out of the lab. Fuck, so his other data had also been tampered with. It was clear now that somebody was creating trouble for him behind his back! It was affecting not only his independent study but also his core work. Who was doing all of this shit, and why?! Souichi reached his locker and pulled out his backpack. Shit, he was too worked up to concentrate on working. With a resounding slam of the locker door that shocked the passersby, he left.

Souichi got a six- pack of beer as well as a packet of cigarettes at the convenience store outside Todai. Even though it was sweltering outside, he still headed to the park nearby and plopped himself down on one of the benches. The sounds of summer insects and birds were his accompaniment as he tore open the cardboard packaging and extracted the first can of beer. He needed to think and what better than some alcohol and nicotine to help?

"Ahhh..." The first swig of beer was refreshingly cold. Souichi chugged more of the fizzy alcohol down and leaned back against the bench, feeling the stripes of wood beneath him. He was unbelievably down. In his entire research career, this was the first time that he had experienced such malice. He wanted to punch the bastard who had done those shitty things but having no target and no clue, he was at a loss. More alcohol went down his throat and Souichi rested the cool can against his cheek.

He finished the first can quickly and then reached for the next. At the same time, Souichi opened the new pack of cigarettes and popped one nicotine stick into his mouth. For a conscience- twanging moment, he imagined Morinaga's disappointed face. If Morinaga knew about the sabotages, he would surely ask Souichi to stop smoking and instead to confide in him.

Sighing, Souichi replaced the cigarette and opened a second can of beer. Telling Morinaga about the incidents would only worry him and his man would make a huge fuss over everything. He was the kind of person who would run into a burning house to rescue somebody else's belongings, after all. Souichi took a swig of beer and grimaced when the alcohol tasted sour in his mouth. Urgh.

On the other hand, there was nobody else that Souichi could trust at the moment, even Manami Yuki. The smiling, familiar faces that he saw in school each day might conceal sharp knives and selfish motives. The only person whom Souichi felt safe enough to confide in was his partner. There would be no need for doubt and guardedness around Morinaga. In addition, Souichi wanted to catch the sabotaging bastard red- handed. The circumstantial evidence that he had amassed would otherwise count for nothing but mere suspicions. Morinaga might have ideas on how to do that.

Having decided to tell Morinaga about the incidents later at night, Souichi took another swallow of beer. A sudden wave of revulsion twisted his stomach and before he knew it, he was spitting it out. Another heave, and more alcohol was ejected from his body. Cursing, stomach sour, Souichi glared at the offending beer and then tossed away the two open cans. No point in making himself sick on top of pissed off.

After about twenty minutes of his pity party, Souichi had had enough and he stood up, ready to go back to school. He was going to look for Prof. Satou and show him the wrecked plants and missing data. That was just the first step in his retaliation. If the culprit thought that he could bring down Tatsumi Souichi then he was surely the most naïve fool on earth!

* * *

**To be continued.**


	4. Emi-chan's diaries: Entry 5

**a/n: A checkup at Dr. Yuki's.**

* * *

**Emi- chan's diaries: Entry 5**

First of August, Saturday.

Weather: Hot, sunny.

"Hush, sweetie. Don't cry; let Dr. Yuki give you the jab…"

It was early Saturday. The Tatsumi- Morinaga family was currently at Dr. Yuki Kenji's gynaecology and obstetrics clinic near Todai and they were trying to get a fretting Emi to calm down enough for the doctor to give her very first injection.

The four- month old glared at Tetsuhiro with tear- stained eyes, as though accusing him of fraternizing with the enemy. Then she scrunched up her face and cried even harder and refused to be kissed when Tetsuhiro tried to do so.

"Emi- chan, you have to take the injections so that you can be healthy and hale! Look, Daddy and Papa are both with you, aren't we? Don't cry, my darling…" At a loss because his usually obedient daughter was now throwing the largest tantrum of her life, Tetsuhiro looked beseechingly at Souichi and Dr. Yuki.

Souichi took pity on his partner and he came forth, indicating that Tetsuhiro should put Emi into his arms. His daughter came to him gladly, arms reaching out as though he were her savior from the big bad needle. She hid her face in Souichi's nape and sobbed, big lungful ones that raged at the world for wanting her to go through things such as injections. Souichi could feel her rapid heartbeats, her frightened and angry breaths. "Good girl, Emi. Daddy's here; Daddy will never let anybody hurt you."

Souichi's firm tone must have worked, for her heartbreaking sobs soon tempered down into sniffles. Souichi patted her, kissed her sweaty head. He gestured for Dr. Yuki to quickly inject her while she was distracted. Their daughter would not take kindly to seeing the needle in front of her again and would surely wail the house down if they did not finish up soon.

"Wow, Sempai, you have improved in handling Emi- chan!" Tetsuhiro said in awe and earned a smack on his head for the smart- alecky remark. He then looked on as Dr. Yuki positioned a fine needle at Emi's fleshy buttocks and then injected the vaccine, his movements quick and sure. The baby did not even notice and she continued to lay her head against Souichi's chest, snot and tears streaking down her glum face.

"Good, the Hib vaccine is done. Now, for the PCV."

Dr. Yuki replaced the first needle with another and once more injected it into Emi's body. This time around, she felt the impact. Dr. Yuki managed to remove the needle before she began kicking, as though by doing so, the pain in her left buttock would be banished. Her mouth opened, her pretty eyes squinted shut. Once more, her loud cries filled the room.

Dr. Yuki dabbed the injection sites with alcohol and checked his work with satisfaction. He then retrieved a brightly- coloured ring from his drawer and dangled it in front of Emi. "Emi- chan, look at what this is?"

The baby paused in her crying, big green eyes taking in the rubber donut ring that Dr. Yuki was holding out. Then she grabbed at it, chubby hands managing to get a firm grip around the rim. Dr. Yuki released his hold and Emi brought the ring close to her. She squeezed and a squeak came out from the toy. "Gurghh!"

"Yes, Emi. Isn't the toy pretty? You like it, ehh?" Souichi teased his baby girl and smiled when she laughed again, tears all but forgotten. He hugged her tightly and then took his seat beside Tetsuhiro as Dr. Yuki began his consultation.

"Emi- chan is doing very well. Her physical measurements are within the healthy range and she's responding well to sights and sounds around her. Is she able to roll onto her tummy?"

Tetsuhiro nodded and added, "She's also been trying to sit up but can't really do so without our help. She's also tried to push herself up with her arms."

Dr. Yuki nodded and made notes on his pad. "That sounds great; her motor development is also going along nicely, then. How are her sleeping patterns?"

Souichi answered that, while trying to stop Emi from threading his hair through the hole in the donut ring. "She's been sleeping longer through the night, around five to six hours."

"All, right, very good! This month's checkup is fine also. You two are doing a great job as new parents," Dr. Yuki smiled warmly at the duo and tickled Emi under the chin when she smiled at him. "You can try to introduce some soft solids into her diet soon, such as pureed vegetables or fruit. These will give her a boost of natural vitamins that will improve her overall development. But don't replace the formula all at once; you may perhaps give her the solids at lunch or dinnertime."

"Okay, noted, Dr. Yuki," Tetsuhiro said. "Are there any additional vitamins that we might need to give her?"

"No. Her current formula contains all the necessary nutrients for her age. We will review again when she comes for her fifth and sixth month checkup," Dr. Yuki replied. "Then, our session today is concluded. I just have a question for both of you.

"Do you intend to have more children? I understand that the entire process of having Emi- chan has been surprising, to say the least, but from what I've read from the research article, it seems that Tatsumi- san's body has been able to recover completely from the pregnancy. If you are interested in having more children, then I'll prescribe some folic acid for Tatsumi- san to take. The vitamin has to be present consistently even before gestation. I'd also advise getting a body checkup so that we can ensure that everything is all right." The doctor smiled when Souichi and Tetsuhiro flushed in embarrassment. "It is best to do everything carefully and in advance for such important things, no?"

"Please prescribe the folic acid for Sempai!" Tetsuhiro declared. "We have already decided that we want ten children!"

"Idiot, when the hell did I agree to that? I didn't even say that I wanted a second one!" Were it not for Emi in his arms, Souichi would have punched Tetsuhiro through the ceiling.

"But you agreed! That day in the nursery—your reaction was so adorabl—ouchh!"

Souichi had taken hold of Tetsuhiro's ear and was twisting it into a pretzel. Leaning close to his preposterous kouhai, eyes flashing murder, Souichi said silkily, "What are you saying, Morinaga? Do you want to sleep under a bridge tonight? Ehh?"

"No, no! I won't say that you are adorable anymore in public anymore, Sempai! But, Dr. Yuki, remember to prescribe the folic acid, the folic acid!"

"Morinaga!"

Dr. Yuki watched the subsequent fiasco that was Souichi and Tetsuhiro unfold, a benign smile on his young face. So this was the dynamic couple that his wife had befriended, the male couple that had taken the medical world by storm. From the outside, Tatsumi Souichi looked and behaved just like a normal male. It was the mechanisms inside of his body that warranted study—the existence of fully mature female ova and uterus that could produce female eggs and allow for fertilized ones to attach and grow. There was even a passageway connecting the rectum to the fallopian tubes for sperm to travel and fertilise the eggs. This was obviously a new phenomenon discovered in Tatsumi- san's body and the very reason why his male partner had been able to make him pregnant.

The other glaring difference would be the lack of a vagina and cervical passage in Tatsumi- san. It was due to the absence of these two parts that Tatsumi- san had appeared to be completely male from the outside and also why a caesarean had been required for the birth of their daughter.

Standing from his desk, Dr. Yuki glanced Souichi over critically with a doctor's eye. Healthy, in his prime, without any tell- tale signs of illness of disease. If Morinaga- san were correct in them wanting to have a second child, then he would arrange for a checkup for Tatsumi- san and in the meantime, prescribe folic acid. He was glad that he could be their physician and doing a good job at it would not only be beneficial for the young family but also for the medical world at large.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	5. Double danger

**a/n: Hello, please enjoy: Chapter 4!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Double danger**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

Unfortunately for Souichi, Prof. Satou was not in when he arrived at the administration building.

"Professor is currently on a short sabbatical at Haneda University and will only be back this Friday." The administrative receptionist looked visibly taken aback by the thundercloud that came over Souichi's countenance at the news. "Umm, if it's urgent, you could perhaps drop him an email. It would be faster."

"Thanks…" Swearing beneath his breath, Souichi stalked out of the building and headed to the lab next. Damn his luck. Fine, since Prof. would only be back on Friday, he would hand in his proposal and at the same time bring up the issue of the sabotage.

Back in the laboratory, Souichi first checked that his dead plant samples were still where he had put it yesterday. Ah, good, they were still hidden in the back cupboard of his bench, in a blind corner. He would need them as evidence of sabotage. Now that his plant at home was growing properly, it showed that his genetic recombination had not resulted in low survivability. He would create more recombined seeds and then cultivate them as samples. Intending to head to the cryo- freezer next door, Souichi stood up and nearly knocked into Yuki Manami.

"Woahh! Look where you're going, Tatsumi- san!" Manami exclaimed. She punched Souichi playfully on his shoulders and smiled. "I'm a pregnant lady, you know. Can't take knocks and bumps!"

"Ahh, sorry, didn't see you there." Souichi steadied her before he picked up his materials and began to walk away. "Then, see you."

"Ehh? Wha—hey, Tatsumi- san!" Pattering footsteps followed Souichi out of the lab. Yuki Manami swooped beside him and she peered angrily at him, her brown hair windswept. "Why are you suddenly so abrupt?!"

"…I'm not being abrupt," Souichi finally replied. He took a good, long look at Manami but could not discern any hint of guilt or otherwise. All he saw was confusion in her eyes and that made him pause; made him slow his step. "Sorry. I'm just going to do some work."

"But why do I get the feeling that you are upset? Everyone can feel it, you know! They've been pestering me to ask you." Manami's anxiety seemed to lessen after Souichi had responded but she still continued to follow him, even when he pulled open the door to the second lab. "They are scared of your death glares!"

"Hah, if they weren't guilty of doing shit, then why should they be scared?" Souichi retorted sarcastically. Lips in a thin line, he stalked towards the cryo- freezer and donned on the protective gloves hanging next to it. Lifting the lid and avoiding the blast of frigid air that emitted subsequently, Souichi began to sift through the contents, trying to find his box of genetic samples. "…What the hell."

"What are you looking for, Tatsumi- san?" Curious, Manami tried to help but was stopped by Souichi because she was not wearing gloves and the sub- temperature of the freezer would hurt her hands.

"My samples are missing." The plastic box of vials with his name written in black was gone. The entire, fucking box of genetically- recombined plant material that had been the culmination of months of his hard work and toil had disappeared. Souichi slammed the lid shut and stalked towards the next freezer. With staccato movements, he began to take out all the contents of the chamber. Manami, seeing Souichi's agitation, joined him in the search and looked through each individual item as he extracted them from the freezer.

For the better part of an hour, Souichi and Manami searched through all the freezers and refrigerators in the room. They even went to the other labs and went through the other freezers that belonged to Prof. Satou's team. Nil, nada, zilth. Souichi's genetic samples had performed a magic trick and disappeared like a rabbit placed into a hat.

Finally, with red faces and hands, Souichi and Manami flopped onto a bench outside the lab, defeated.

"Tatsumi- san, what are you going to do now? We've have searched everywhere but your samples are really gone. Did you use them up?" Manami glanced at Souichi and asked in concern.

"No, I did not! I'd obviously remember if I'd used them…" Souichi swore, frustrated. "It took a great deal of effort to create the samples—that was why I made more at the beginning so that I wouldn't run out of them! But now somebody has taken them!"

"Are these the plant recombinant samples for your independent study?" Manami asked. At Souichi's terse nod, she made a sound of dismay. "Goodness…now I know why you said that it took a great deal of effort. First, you'd have to identify the gene, and then isolate, copy and amplify it. After that, you'd have to insert it into the plant's original DNA and repeat the entire process…" Manami trailed off as Souichi's words finally took on significance. "Wait, did you say that somebody took it?"

"Yes, because I sure as hell had not taken it! If it's the same bastard…"

"The same…? You mean something similar has already happened?" Manami's eyes were wide, in horror. "Your dead plant samples—!"

Souichi nodded again. Yuki- san was smart, all right. "Never mind that I'd have to remake the samples. The issue here is the culprit! Just yesterday, my files were also tampered with…" Souichi glanced at his colleague and newly- made friend. "Yuki- san, do you know anything about this?"

"Do I know anything about—Tatsumi- san, are you suspecting me? But I didn't do anything! I made a promise not to tell anybody about your grant proposal and I kept it!" When Souichi did not reply, merely continued to regard her with opaque eyes, Yuki Manami's shock slowly turned into realization and then, disappointment. "Is this why you've been so cold? I thought we were friends, Tatsumi- san. But it seems that my character does not rank high in your opinion." With that piercing comment, Manami stood up and arched her brow when Souichi half- heartedly tried to stop her. "I did not steal your samples, nor did I ruin your work. If I had, I wouldn't have just spent an hour helping you."

"Yuki—"

"I know that you're upset but please, direct it at the right person. Otherwise, the only one who'll suffer would be you. Later, Tatsumi- san." Manami nodded her farewell and then turned her back on Souichi. Within seconds, she was gone.

"Shit…!" Souichi punched the bench but all he got for his efforts was a sore knuckle. He slowly unclenched his fist and his fingers curled around the wood. He understood what Manami had meant; heck, he had even harboured the same thoughts! Was it his fault that the evidence on hand was too insubstantial to point out the perpetuator?

He still felt like the world's biggest bastard, though. The one person that he could call a friend in Todai was now pissed at him. Souichi punched the bench once again, swore. This mess was costing him more than just his work. He would not know how much, until later.

* * *

When Souichi finally returned to the lab, Manami was there, carrying out her experiments. They made eye contact as he entered but instead of her usual cheerful greeting, the lady simply looked away and continued with her work. Being that her workspace was right next to his, the tension became more palpable when he slid into his seat. Souichi's expression could have been carved in stone as he took out his logbook and began to get busy.

Others also seemed to have noticed the heavy atmosphere around their bench and they all stayed away from the infamous exchange student, afraid that his temper would singe them, as it had Yuki Manami. There were whispers exchanged, speculations spun. Souichi's reputation as a terrifying tyrant began to build up further.

The flow of work would not be hindered by their quarrel, though. Souichi and the rest of Prof. Satou's team worked efficiently, though in silence. People came in and out of the large lab, undergraduates and post- graduates under different professors.

Once, Nakanishi Shin dared to venture onto no man's land and approached Souichi, looking concerned. "Um, is everything all right here?"

Souichi had been aware that the atmosphere around him was charged but frankly, he was too swamped to care. He had resolved not to deem just anyone as a suspect, though and so his tone was civil when he regarded Nakanishi. "…Everything's fine."

"Oh, I see…well, if there's anything that you need my help in, just tell me. I'd be happy to do so." Shin smiled awkwardly at Souichi and his gaze flicked to Manami, who immediately pretended that she had not been intently listening into their conversation. "Um, I admire your and Yuki- san's friendship, Tatsumi- san. So, um, well…be happy, okay? That's all." With that absurdly stilted attempt at mending bridges, Nakanishi slipped away.

His teammate's words only deepened the guilt in Souichi. He glanced over at Manami's work desk and saw that she was having difficulty assembling a cold extraction setup. Friendship, huh. Mind made up, Souichi rose to help her. He took the round flask from Manami's hand and easily fitted it onto the connector high above. "There. And, I'm sorry."

"…Thanks. And, you might be forgiven."

Manami mimicked his tone and then scrunched her nose at him. Souichi felt a sense of peace come over him and he nodded when Manami indicated that they should do the next experiment together.

* * *

"Well, there's that! Boy, am I glad that we're done quarrelling! Otherwise, I'd have had to do all of these alone." Manami flopped on to her stool and brandished the set of results that had taken almost all afternoon to churn out. It was already going on six pm and she was ready to leave. Before that, though, she asked Souichi, "Are you going to report the incidents to Prof.?"

"Yea. But he's away from school and would only be back this Friday."

"Yep, I think you should. They seem to be escalating." Manami frowned as she tried to think of ways to help. "I'll ask around and see if anyone knows anything. Don't worry, I'll be discreet."

"Thanks, Yuki- san. Though you don't have to do that, especially after how I went at you earlier…" Not knowing how to show his gratitude, Souichi could only nod his thanks.

"Well, just treat me to lunch soon! Heh," Manami joked. Her expression soon schooled into a somber one, though. "Well, I have to clear my own name also, you know. I hate the thought of my friend doubting me."

"About that—"

"Ah, it's over, all right? Let's call a truce. You can bow to me as your queen after I dig out something useful." Manami winked, her smile as bright as ever. "Then, see you tomorrow, Tatsumi- san!"

After Manami had left, Souichi took out his cell and dialed Morinaga's number. With the disappearance of his samples, his plans of going home early for the entire week were now thwarted. He would have to redo everything in order to have the materials ready for the next step of research. The call connected and he went out of the lab to talk. "It's me."

_"Evening, Sempai! Are you coming back home at seven tonight, too?"_

"Yea, evening. And no, I'll be back late tonight. Things have cropped up…"

_"Ehh, but you promised, Sempai! We haven't been spending much time together lately! It's not only me—Emi- chan misses you too!"_

Pacing along the hallway with Morinaga's plea in his ear, Souichi bit his lip and almost gave in. Damnit, now he knew what others had meant about the difficulties of juggling family life with work life… "It's different this time, Morinaga."

_"What's different? Sempai, I understand that you love your work but please remember your own health! And us. We are a family now, Sempai. A family needs to spend time together…"_

Souichi sighed. He had known that this call would be difficult. Now, it seemed that he would have to bring up the issue of the sabotages to Morinaga over the phone. Glancing at the passersby, Souichi lowered his voice. "I'm going to have to redo some important experiments involving the herb. My things have been going…missing."

_"Missing? As in, they disappeared? Wait, do you mean that somebody stole them?!"_

Morinaga's disbelief transmitted through the phone. Like Manami, he had immediately understood the significance behind Souichi's lightly- spoken words. Souichi nodded, glad that he did not have to give a long explanation. "Yea, that's exactly what I meant."

_"But this is stealing of intellectual property! Have you reported it to the professor in charge? Kami—Sempai, I'm going to the university now!"_

"What? Morinaga, don't be ridiculous!"

_"I'm not being ridiculous! My sempai is being bullied—I'm going to go there and track down the criminal and—"_

"And nothing, Morinaga. Have you forgotten about Emi? If you and I are both here, who's going to take care of her, huh? I'm already not spending enough time with her; don't you go neglecting her too!" Souichi shouted into the phone and only realized it when people turned to gawk at him. "Really, don't waste your time coming here. Besides, don't look down on me! I can solve my own problems, all right. I was just updating you."

_"Updating? This issue requires more than just updating me! Sempai, I know! Why don't I bring Emi- chan to school? If I can't go and nab the culprit, at least let me help you with the work!"_

"That's pure rubbish, Morinaga. Just stay at home and look after Emi properly. I'll be back by midnight, I think." Despite Morinaga's continuing protests, Souichi said a short goodbye and then hung up. Kami, that Morinaga could always come up with preposterous propositions! Souichi thought about it and then typed out a short but very clear message to Morinaga. He was not to come to Todai under threat of death! A nasty punishment was in store should he disobey!

Smirking when Morinaga's reply came back with an obedient 'yes, Sempai' accompanied by three sad emoticons, Souichi continued down the hallway towards the washrooms. Whether intended to or not, his mood had buoyed up some after talking with his partner. There was one more person on his side.

Minutes later, Souichi exited the washroom. He was still messaging Morinaga, though it was more of receiving pictures of Emi from him. The man had picked up their daughter from childcare and he was snapping pictures en route to home. Souichi smiled at the sight of Emi laughing and did not see the group of men until he almost walked into them.

"…_C. officinale_ and its rhizomes…hey, watch where you are going!"

"Oh, my apologies." Souichi recognized the men. Two of them were associate professors in plant biology and the third was a full- fledged professor as esteemed as Prof. Satou. Manami had mentioned his name before… "Please excuse me, Professors Daiki, Hyuuga; Professor Naoki."

The three men merely nodded and then were off again, deep in discussion. Souichi looked on as they walked away. They had been talking about the herb that he was currently working on. It did seem that _C. officinale_ was the hot topic in herbal pharmaceuticals now.

* * *

With a fervency born out of necessity and ire, Souichi spent the rest of the evening plowing through the tedious first steps of genetic recombination. Ensconced in the biology lab, elbow- deep in his research, it was not until an incessant buzzing of his cell that Souichi finally took off his safety goggles and called it a night.

Morinaga was calling. Damn, was it midnight, already? "Hello, Morinaga?"

_"Sempai? Are you coming home soon?"_

"Yea, I think so." Souichi clasped the cell between his chin and shoulder and began to pack up.

_"Ah, I see. I was worried about disturbing you, so I didn't call until I got worried. Have you eaten? There's food at home if you haven't."_

"Yea, I'll eat when I'm home. But don't bother reheating it; I'll do it when I get home. Go and sleep. Otherwise, Emi'll just wake us up again at three." Souichi sealed up his preliminary samples and was about to write his name on them when he paused. He might as well wave a red flag and beg for the culprit to steal them again. After a while, he wrote 'Morinaga Emi' on the box and then placed it into the freezer.

Satisfied, he packed up and switched off the light to the lab. Darkness fell all around him. "Yes, yes, I'm going off now. Kami, you're beginning to sound like Kanako, Morinaga! Yes, I'm saying that you're damn naggy, and no, you'd better not do anything funny when I get back later!" Arguing with his partner, Souichi exited the biology lab and walked down the hallway. He was just passing by the main laboratory when a gleam caught his eye.

_"So, I tried to feed some pureed apple to Emi- chan just now and she loved—"_

"Morinaga, I'll talk to you later." Souichi whispered into the receiver before ending the call. He tucked his cell into his pocket and then peered more closely into the main lab. Through the glass panel in the door, he could just make out a dim light at the far corner. Small but bright, it was obviously a mobile torchlight. And it was his bench that was currently being lit up. Souichi watched as a shadow fell over the light. It was a man, from the looks of it.

Anger, deep and senseless, gripped his insides. This was the culprit, served up to him on a platter. Great, this would save him the trouble of looking for him. Souichi breathed evenly and focused until his rage had sharpened, as white as the slice of light that had betrayed the bastard's presence. Souichi pushed open the swing door to the lab and stepped in silently.

In the dark, the furniture and apparatus were indistinguishable shapes. Souichi's sneakers threaded a soundless path across the linoleum. He could see the dim light, hear the slight shuffling sounds emitting from his bench. The man must be trying to destroy something of his, again. The fury that he was reining in reared up and it was all he could do to not to rush in and wallop the hell out of the son of a bitch.

The beam of light suddenly went off, throwing the lab into true darkness. Souichi froze, listening to his own breathing, trying to listen out for the other man. The stillness in the room seemed deliberate, anticipative and Souichi realized that his presence must have been discovered. He had been hunting but now, his prey was lying in wait for him.

It would be impossible to wait at the door to catch the man; the lab was one of the largest in the university and there were three exits, each spaced at least four benches apart of one another. If he chose the wrong door, the man would be able to escape from the other two. Now that the element of surprise was not on his side, turning on the lights to expose them would be best but he was currently too far from the walls to turn them on. The only path left was to pounce on the bastard first, then identify him.

Clattering sounds, then rapid footsteps away from his direction. The man was escaping! Souichi gave chase, cursing the dark, using his hands to maneuver around the benches and chairs. Ahead, he could just make out a darting shadow. He was turning right, towards the middle exit!

Souichi ran like the wind down the aisles, his bag bouncing on his back, his hair streaming out. Damnit, why was the lab so fucking big? There was a crash as the night prowler dropped something. Souichi heard him curse in a low, deep voice but he did not recognize it. "Stop, you fucker! What the fuck were you doing at my desk!"

Souichi's shout only served to make the man run even faster. Fortunately, the gloominess of the room was impeding him as much, if not more than Souichi. He stumbled over stools and machines, as though he were a mouse fleeing through an unfamiliar maze.

"Stop running and 'fess up to your deeds, you damned fucker! If you dared to sabotage me, then have the guts to show your face!" Souichi took a sudden right turn, which took him directly into the path of the escaping man. Too fast to stop, both men collided into each other. Souichi shoved into him and they fell in a sprawling heap on the linoleum.

Crash! They had hit a stool and it made a thundering crash as it toppled sideways. Souichi tried to grab the man's shirt but a punch to his cheek caused him to reel backwards. Dazed but so pissed that he could bulldoze through anything, Souichi returned the favour, his knuckle making contact with something hard. There was a satisfying crunch and the man howled in pain. From the sounds of it, Souichi had hit his nose. "Damn you! Tell me who you are!"

Still the bastard refused to speak. The two of them struggled on the floor, Souichi trying to move them closer to the light switches, the man trying to slam him on to the ground. During their struggle, the man hit Souichi in the head with the object that he been holding in his hand. There was a sickening crack and something crumbly and earthy fell on his hair. It was soil. Souichi's rage darkened to black. The bastard had been stealing his plants!

"Bastard, you're trying to get rid of the evidence, aren't you! Well, I'm not going to let you!" Twisting and punching, Souichi struggled to keep a hold on the sneaky asshole, their legs entangled, his hair caught in the man's painful grasp. He had to reach for the lights! Reveal the fucker and then report him. Souichi stretched, trying to reach for the panel of switches that was so near, and yet so far. Almost there, almost ther—

Pow! A fantastic blow to his stomach. Souichi collapsed like a dropped sack, gasping. Pain radiated from within, a roiling, hot sensation that arrested him, immobilized him. A second punch landed on his shoulder and Souichi rolled sideways, clutching his abdomen that felt like it was on fire. He barely felt it when the man broke free, stepping all over his hair as he staggered to stand. There was the sound of another stool crashing to the ground, of heavy footsteps scurrying away, towards the other exits. Then the perpetrator was at the door. There was a rattle and then a shuddering slam. He had escaped.

Souichi lay there amidst broken pots and toppled furniture, curled up in a ball. The throbbing sensation was not abating and when he tried to straighten, to get up, the movement set off a yawning pull below his belly button, as though something was about to give way inside of him. Souichi breathed in thinly through his nose, trying not to jostle his body as he reached for his cell. Kami, it hurt so badly. What had the bastard done, ruptured something? "…Morinaga."

_"Sempai! Why did you suddenly hang up?"_

His stomach began cramping, a relentless pressure that squeezed his insides. Kami, this kind of pain—why did it feel so familiar? Souichi gasped into the receiver, tears welling up in his eyes. He could hear Morinaga's exclamation of concern, his anxious shouts of _'Sempai, are you all right!'_ ringing loudly in the silent, cavernous lab. He was definitely injured. That bastard's punch had fucking done its job. Damnit…! Through the fog of pain, Souichi barely got his words out, hating how weak his voice sounded. "Morinaga, come and…get me."

* * *

**To be continued.**


	6. Fragile things

**A/N: The next chapter is up! Please support :)**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Fragile things**

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

Tetsuhiro flew up the stairs and into the nursery. He grabbed the diaper bag, haphazardly threw in some diapers and baby clothes. Emi was sleeping in her crib but woke up as Tetsuhiro scooped her up and swept downstairs with her in tow. In seconds, he had tumbled into the awaiting taxi. "To Todai, please! South entrance!"

Emi began to act up as the taxi made a turn and exited the estate. Tetsuhiro pressed her against his chest and murmured reassuring words into her ears. "It'll be alright, Emi- chan. It'll be alright." He did not know if he was saying them for her sake, or his own.

As the scenery outside flashed past in streaks of orange lights, Tetsuhiro took out his cell again and dialed Souichi's number. The voice that greeted him was faint, strained. It felt as though Sempai was forcing the words out of his throat. "Sempai, I'll be at Todai soon. Give me fifteen minutes, okay?"

_"Just come…quickly…"_

"I will!" Tetsuhiro covered the receiver and instructed the cab driver to go faster. As the taxi picked up speed, he leaned back in his seat and resumed speaking. "I've also called an ambulance because you said that you were injured. We'll go to the university hospital and get everything treated. So just—just hang in there."

Souichi made a weak grunt and then trailed off. Laboured breathing feathered through the line and Tetsuhiro gripped his cell tightly, his mind running amok. Of Sempai lying in a pool of blood; of broken limbs and shattered skulls. No, no, get a hold. Sempai was conscious and he was on the line with Tetsuhiro. If he panicked and lost control now, then who was going to help him?

The majestic structure of Tokyo University appeared in the horizon. Tetsuhiro snapped to attention and began to direct the driver to the correct building, all the while keeping up a monologue with Souichi. "Ne, Sempai. We're turning into Todai now. And I think I see the lights of the ambulance. We'll be there soon. Help is coming."

"Da…?" In Tetsuhiro's arms, little Emi seemed to have sensed his burgeoning anxiety and she began to fret. "Da—!"

"Sempai, Emi- chan's coming too. She wants to see you," Tetsuhiro murmured into his cell. Emi- chan was their amulet. She would bless Sempai and help them get through this night that was beginning to shape up into a nightmare. She would give Sempai strength. Dear Kami she would give them strength.

* * *

The blue- red lights of the ambulance lit up the dark parking lot of the Botany building. Two paramedics wheeled Souichi out in a stretcher, the wheels clacking over the asphalt. Seeing the arrival of the patient, the male nurse seated inside the vehicle immediately got out and spoke into a walkie- talkie.

Tetsuhiro followed beside Souichi, taking in the sight of his injuries, his blanched countenance, his frozen posture of pain. Yet, he could not react, merely climbed dutifully into the ambulance as the paramedics loaded the stretcher and shut the doors. His senses had been left back in the laboratory, in the corner where he had found Souichi ten minutes ago, groaning amidst overturned stools and shattered apparatus.

The ambulance moved off to its destination, Tokyo University Hospital, which was situated just beside the university. Despite the short distance, the paramedics took all of Souichi's vitals, recording and reporting his status into the walkie- talkie that was connected to the emergency department at the hospital. Throughout the journey, Souichi remained curled up in a fetal position, arms wrapped protectively around his abdomen. He did not relinquish his hold even when the paramedic wanted to do a preliminary check on the area.

"Sempai, you've to let him check on you…" Tetsuhiro murmured. He refused to be wavered by the vulnerability stamped into his lover's face. Instead, he began to pry Souichi's arms from his body, gently but firmly. The injured man tried to push away his hands but Tetsuhiro was adamant. Eventually, he managed to loosen Souichi's vice- like grip enough for the paramedic to do his work. Exposed, Souichi groaned when the nurse pressed a hand to his abdomen and he glared at Tetsuhiro with pain- glazed eyes.

"What kind of pain are you experiencing, sir? Is it sharp or dull?" The paramedic asked methodically.

"It was a sharp pain initially but now it's cramping…it comes and goes…" Souichi bit out.

The nurse took down some notes on a form and continued with his administrations. "At where does the pain concentrate on?"

"Lower abdomen…" Souichi grimaced as he rode another cramp. He suddenly gripped the paramedic's arm, which made the man turn to him in surprise. "I might be miscar—"

"We've arrived!" The ambulance pulled to a stop at the emergency entrance of the hospital. Immediately, the paramedics got into action. As the driver pulled the doors open, the three other nurses hurried down the van and slid the stretcher out. Outside, the A&amp;E nurses on duty were already taking over. Tetsuhiro stepped down from the ambulance and hurried after the entourage.

Even at this late hour, the A&amp;E department of TUH was brisk with activity. Patients of all ages and suffering from a variety of ailments were either waiting or being treated in makeshift emergency rooms. Souichi was rolled into one of them and the nurses began to pull the curtains closed around him. Other medical personnel were already pushing equipment and a drip stand into the room. Tetsuhiro was forced to wait outside and he fell back, not knowing what to do with himself.

"Morinaga- san!"

Wrapped in a shroud of misery and apprehension, Tetsuhiro only recognized the man when he came hurrying over to him. It was Dr. Yuki, dressed in his white doctor's coat and a stethoscope. "Dr. Yuki—?"

"Evening!" Upon seeing Tetsuhiro's confusion, the doctor explained, "I'm on call three nights a week for the A&amp;E department. It works out just fine, seeing as I live near to both the clinic and the hospital. But these things aside, why are you and Emi- chan here at this hour? Is there something wrong?"

"Sempai's injured…" Tetsuhiro said mournfully. He gestured towards Souichi's ward and continued, "He had a tussle with somebody in school earlier but was hurt rather badly in the stomach. I don't know what's going to happen…!"

Dr. Yuki had listened intently through the explanation and at the end nodded his understanding. He patted Tetsuhiro's shoulder reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, Morinaga- san; I'll take care of Tatsumi- san. Take a seat and rest first; you look as if you're about to collapse." With those parting words, the physician swept into Souichi's room.

Completely helpless and hating it, the only thing that Tetsuhiro could do was to take Dr. Yuki's advice. He sank heavily into a plastic chair directly outside of the ward and hugged his baby daughter tightly, seeking comfort in her.

* * *

The closed curtains around Souichi's room hid a flurry of activity, all carried out in a bid to treat him. Nurses rushed in and out through the green screens, fetching blood samples, carrying trays of syringes and meds. Once, a pair of nurses pushed in an ultrasound machine. Tetsuhiro stood up several times and paced, often hovering near but not daring to disturb the medics' work. He did not want to distract them from helping Sempai. No, that would not do.

What was happening in there, though? Were Sempai's injuries serious? Life- threatening? These doubts and uncertainties swirled in Tetsuhiro's head, aggravated by the tension that he read in the nurses' demeanors. There was something terribly wrong about the situation, was it not? But nobody stopped to update him; no one possessed the leisure to smile at Tetsuhiro and reassure him that his one and only beloved in the world was going to be all right.

"Morinaga- san."

Tetsuhiro straightened from the chair, where he had been slumped in for the past hour. In his arms, Emi had already fallen into an exhausted, crying- induced sleep. He cuddled her protectively, needing to feel her heartbeat even more as he caught the grave, solemn tone in which Dr. Yuki had addressed him. "Dr. Yuki! How's Sempai? Is he alright?"

"I've just given him a sedative jab. He's going to sleep through the night," Dr. Yuki said. As he spoke, the curtains around the makeshift room were finally pushed aside and Tetsuhiro saw Souichi, pale and overwrought, on the bed. The nurse got an affirmative nod from Dr. Yuki and she began to maneuver the sleeping patient towards the elevators.

"Sempai!" Tetsuhiro made to follow but was deterred by Dr. Yuki.

"Morinaga- san, Tatsumi- san has to stay for observation. You'll be able to visit him later but for now, I would like to speak to you about his condition."

Condition. The term that the doctor had chosen to use did not sit well with Tetsuhiro. The two men left the chaos of the emergency department behind and entered a quiet hallway in the same direction where Souichi had been taken. Dr. Yuki led them to an empty conference room, switched on the lights and gestured for Tetsuhiro to take a seat. "Morinaga- san, Tatsumi- san is not in a life- threatening situation. You can have my word on that."

"He's alright? There was no major damage?" At Dr. Yuki's words, the jittery feeling in his bones finally eased. Tetsuhiro heaved a shuddering sigh. Sempai was okay. They had managed to treat the pain. He grabbed Dr. Yuki's hands and clasped them tightly. "Thank you…!"

"However…"

Dr. Yuki was looking at him quietly, hesitation and sympathy pouring so expressively from his gray eyes that Tetsuhiro jerked back, frightened. There was something that the doctor was withholding. It was something awful and unimaginable; a truth that would fracture his world in two. "…You said that Sempai was okay. You guaranteed it!"

"Tatsumi- san will recover, Morinaga- san. I didn't lie to you when I said that," Dr. Yuki murmured. He slid a monotone photo from the file he had with him and presented it to Tetsuhiro. It was unmistakably an ultrasound snapshot, depicting an dark, oval- shaped sac in the center of a grainy, white, fan- shaped background. "…It's the child he's carrying that I cannot be sure about."

"Child…?" Tetsuhiro picked up the snapshot and stared at it, not comprehending. His senses were already overloaded with worry for Souichi. Now, Dr. Yuki was saying that there was a child involved. He looked back at the other man and read his sympathy, clearly directed at him. "What…child?"

"Yours, Morinaga- san. Yours and Tatsumi- san's. He's five weeks pregnant."

"Pregnant…"

"Yes. I ordered some blood and hormone tests as well as an ultrasound earlier and all of them confirmed that Tatsumi- san is indeed with child. In fact, it was he who alerted me to his possible condition. Apparently, he had once been in danger of a spontaneous abortion and recognized the signs…" Dr. Yuki breathed out heavily as he finished outlining Souichi's examination and treatment in A&amp;E.

"Yes, that happened back in Nagoya… Sempai was carrying Emi- chan when there was a lab accident…" The words came out from him robotically. Tetsuhiro felt as though he were in a dream. Pregnant. Sempai was pregnant.

"Very early pregnancies are unstable as the attachment of the zygote to the uterine lining is still preliminary. As such, they are susceptible to physical trauma. The punch that Tatsumi- san sustained to his lower abdomen and womb was very likely the primary reason why he went into threatened abortion."

The gravity of the situation set in slowly, like a ship sinking beneath waves. It chased away Tetsuhiro's surprise, his burgeoning joy. This was not a dream; not even a nightmare. This was inescapable reality. He picked up the sonogram once more, gazed at that dark, tiny blob floating in the middle of the shot. He already loved him, this little being; loved him till he could feel his heart swell, then break. "…Are we going to lose the child, Sensei?"

The doctor pulled out two napkins from a box and tucked them neatly into Tetsuhiro's limp palm. He waited for Tetsuhiro to dry his eyes, his own voice gruff with emotion. "It is an early pregnancy, and a male pregnancy at that. At this point in time, I cannot guarantee the baby's safety."

"That's too vague…I can't accept that." A face surfaced in his mind, a boy. He had dark hair and golden eyes, and a smile that could light up the world. "Pa!"

"There is currently no quantitative treatment for threatened or inevitable miscarriages. We can only place Tatsumi- san under observation for further signs of miscarriage." Dr. Yuki spoke quietly, regretful to admit that even after hundreds of years of advancement, medical knowledge was still incapable of saving Tetsuhiro's child. "…I'm very sorry."

"So there's nothing to be done to keep him? Tetsuhiro pushed back from the chair and began to pace around agitatedly. "We have to do something! We can't just sit back and—and wait for fate! This is my baby!"

"We won't give up!" Dr. Yuki's gaze was direct and fierce as he regarded Tetsuhiro. "I will do everything in my power to save the baby! Morinaga- san!"

"Wahhhh—! Wahh—baa!" Jolted from her fitful sleep, Emi's cries cut through the men's charged conversation. They had focused so much on the new baby that they had forgotten about the other one.

Tetsuhiro slipped towards the far corner of the room, hugging Emi tightly against the swaddle. Would they have the chance to love their second child like this? Would they be able to wipe his tears when he was sad, kiss his hurts when they got bad? He did not know. Kami, he did not even know if the baby would survive this night! Emi sobbed inconsolably into his shirt, as though she, too, were commiserating. Tetsuhiro closed his eyes, his own tears seeping to join hers.

"Sensei, please—save my child."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the men were once again walking down another hallway. This time, they stopped outside a private ward, where Souichi's family name was labeled in Kanji on the door.

"Tatsumi- san's inside, Morinaga- san."

"Un, thank you. And, I'm sorry about my outburst earlier," Tetsuhiro murmured. He bowed at his doctor and in turn, received one from him. "I know that you'll do your best by Sempai and the baby. My rudeness was inexcusable."

"There's no need to apologise, Morinaga- san. As a father- to- be, I understand how difficult this must be for you. But please, have faith in the baby." Dr. Yuki grasped Tetsuhiro firmly on the shoulders and he took comfort from the strength radiating from it. "I'll also contact Dr. Hako from Nagoya. If his schedule permits, he would most likely arrive tomorrow. The two of us would do our best for you."

Dr. Yuki glanced at Emi and then at the big diaper bag that Tetsuhiro was lugging around. "I'll get a bassinet for Emi- chan. If you need to feed her, please feel free to approach the nursery. I'll tell them to charge the costs to me."

"Thank you." Tetsuhiro said with feeling. He opened the ward door and stepped in. "Then, see you tomorrow, Dr. Yuki."

"Goodnight. Have a good rest yourself, Morinaga- san."

Tetsuhiro entered the darkened ward and padded over to the single bed set near the window. A heart rate monitor beeped beside Souichi. There was also another unfamiliar looking machine that was currently displaying a flat, static line. Tetsuhiro set down his bag on the couch and then flopped down on the visitor's chair. Just a few hours ago, he had been chatting about dinner and pureed apples with Sempai. Now, they were expecting parents who might lose the child they had just gotten to know.

Why was life so ironic? They had been granted the gift of a new child and yet they could do nothing to protect him. Tetsuhiro stroked Souichi's sleeping face, hating how pale he looked in the moonlight, hating the green hue that the machines threw over his countenance. Emi's pregnancy had not been smooth- sailing; the new pregnancy now was also wrought with difficulty. The person who had it the toughest was Sempai.

Tetsuhiro sighed. He took hold of Souichi's hand and squeezed it, hoping that his sleeping lover would garner strength from it. The only thing that he could do now was to keep Sempai comfortable during his bed rest and not let him worry about other things. He would take leave from his office so that he could stay at the hospital with Souichi. He might as well keep Emi- chan with him, so that meant that he would also have to contact the childcare center. Then, he would have to call Yuki Manami tomorrow; ask her to assist Sempai with any loose ends at work.

Todai, huh. What had happened in the lab earlier? Tetsuhiro had seen the aftermath of the fight but the only person left in the area had been Sempai. Sending Souichi to hospital to get treated had been his priority; there had not been sufficient time to query the man about the fight. Had it been about the thefts that Sempai had alleged to in their phone conversation? He had not elaborated but Tetsuhiro had still gathered that malice was afoot. If so, then it was no longer a prank of mischief. Souichi's attacker had not only harmed him; he had also harmed their unborn baby. A life was at stake. He would have to be brought to justice.

A rapid beeping sound jolted Tetsuhiro from his dark thoughts. He looked up, searching for the source of the alarm. It was the second machine. Where before there had only been a straight, horizontal line, green peaks were now moving across the monitor. Tetsuhiro heard a moan from the bed. Souichi was still in the grips of the sedative but even so, his face began to contort in pain. Tetsuhiro stood up and pressed the call button situated above the bed. "Sempai!"

"Morinaga- san, I've brought you the bassinet. Wait, this sound—" At that opportune moment, Dr. Yuki returned, accompanied by a nurse who was wheeling in a cot. The doctor heard the beeping sound and he immediately rushed forward. "Blue code!"

The nurse understood the code name instantly. Abandoning the cot, she left to carry out his instructions. Meanwhile, the beeping of the monitor continued, an ominous siren that showed no signs of stopping. Dr. Yuki pulled Souichi's blanket down and removed his trousers and briefs. At Tetsuhiro's stunned gasp, the doctor paused in his administrations. "Morinaga- san, it'd be better for you to wait outside the ward."

"But what's happening?! Why so sudden—"

Dr. Yuki began to steer Tetsuhiro towards the exit, his face stern and focused, completely unlike his usual friendliness. "The monitor has detected signs of contractions in Tatsumi- san's womb. I'm going to try to stabilize the fetus now so please wait outside until I give clearance!"

"Dr. Yuki!"

The nurses had arrived, replete with medical supplies and an ultrasound machine. They received a nod from him and immediately entered the ward. Through it all, feet tripping over the other, Tetsuhiro was directed firmly towards the corridor.

"I'll explain everything afterwards. For now, please wait here!" In a flurry of white coat, Dr. Yuki returned to the ward. The door shut with a resolute bang behind him.

"Dr. Yuki! Dr. Yuki! You can't just make me stay outside—Sempai is—Sempai is—" Tetsuhiro pounded against the door but it was fruitless. It was locked, an unyielding barrier separating him from his heart. He sagged onto the floor, a helpless mess. "You have to let me in…Sempai…my baby…" This was too much. Contractions, cramps, bleeding—they were trying to take his family away from him. Tetsuhiro's fist slid uselessly against the wood, tears dripping fast and furious down his face. "Sempai…!"

* * *

**To be continued.**

**a/n: Is it inevitable?**


	7. Over the hill, with ravines ahead

**A/N: Sorry for the delay; here's chapter 6!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Over the hill, with ravines ahead**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

It was a long, torturous night for Morinaga but Souichi remained blissfully asleep, the sedative working to make his overwrought body rest despite the second emergency of the night. Through new contractions, through Dr. Yuki's and his team's administrations, Souichi's eyes remained shut in an unnaturally deep slumber. He did not even hear Morinaga's shouts or his gasp of relief when the rescue was over and Dr. Yuki conveyed the good, albeit temporary, news. He did not feel gentle hands touch his face and his injuries, nor did he comfort the silent tears that Morinaga shed at four am in the night as he rocked their eldest to sleep.

That was how Souichi spent the next twelve hours, in a dreamless sleep while surrounded by his family and family doctors. It was already coming to five the next evening when the drug finally wore off and Souichi began to awaken. Though it was evening, the summer sun continued to shine bravely, a majestic jewel in the sky that struck rainbows on the hospital window- panes. In his private ward on the tenth floor, four vases of fresh geraniums sat on the window ledge. A bassinet stood at the foot of his bed. On the sofa, there was a blanket and pillow, neatly folded. A large, overnight bag was on the floor, unzipped and overflowing with baby items and toiletries. Souichi's lids moved but he remained submerged, floating mindlessly between sleep and consciousness.

"Da?"

"Shh, Daddy's sleeping, Emi- chan. Let's wait a little longer, okay?"

"Gugrrr. Da!"

"All right, all right. Do you want to be with Daddy?"

"Urrg!"

"Okay, okay. If you promise to be obedient, then."

A man's voice, interspersed with a child's giggles. The bed sheets were ruffled; more shuffling sounds. A whispered endearment tickled his ear. Soon, a warm, squishy weight plopped beside Souichi and immediately proceeded to chew on him.

"No, Emi- chan! You aren't supposed to eat Daddy's hair! Didn't I tell you to be obedient?" More shuffling sounds; this time, Souichi distinctly felt his hair being tugged. Then, something fuzzy, breathy and giggly bumped against his arms. Emi had snuggled close, diapered bottom sticking in the air.

"Wahh baba dadaloo…"

"Yes, just like this, okay? I'm sure Daddy knows that you're accompanying him. Be careful not to kick him, though. He and your little sibling are sleeping…"

A peaceful silence descended soon after. Even in his sleep, Souichi frowned. He had gotten used to the rowdiness and its absence made him feel uneasy. He shifted in bed and felt his arm hit against a little body. Emi let out a disgruntled mew and proceeded to blow a wet raspberry on his arm. Souichi's eyes opened.

"Daa?"

Souichi looked blearily to his right and sure enough, his little daughter was with him. Dressed in a comfy pink one- suit, her dark hair curled and tousled, Emi was clinging to his arm like a koala bear. She smiled at him, all gums and saliva. It was a feast to his just- awakened eyes.

Souichi reached for her and felt his aching body protest. Nevertheless, he managed to maneuver Emi onto his chest. The four- month- old grabbed for his cheek, little fingers somehow able to find their way into his nose and mouth. Then she smacked a slobbery, milky kiss on him.

"Gwahh?"

"Yes, morning, sweetheart." Souichi kissed his baby back. That seemed to tickle Emi and she smiled, eyes fluttering shyly as he kissed her once more on the lips. She lay splayed against him, sharing her day with him in verses of baby gibberish. Her saliva dripped continuously on Souichi's hospital gown but he did not mind.

"Sempai…!" Ahh, his grown up boy. Souichi glanced up. Without his glasses, Morinaga's face was a blurred landscape but his relieved expression was evident even from a thousand miles away. The man practically tackled Souichi and engulfed both him and the baby in a desperate hug. "Thank Kami you're alright!"

"Of course I'd be alright…you are heavy, Morinaga!" Soaked in Morinaga's presence, Souichi felt his fatigue retreat even further, leaving his mind clear, sharp. It was as though his partner had managed to radiate strength into him through their contact. As Morinaga stepped back, Souichi asked, "Where's Dr. Yuki? He was here at the A&amp;E yesterday."

"Ah, let me call for him now! Just a moment, Sempai." Morinaga immediately hurried towards the door and exited. Within a minute though, he was back. "Okay, I've informed the nurse on duty! She'll page for Dr. Yuki."

"Okay. And, my glasses, please."

"Here." Morinaga passed Souichi his glasses and helped him to put it on. Souichi scowled at him for treating him like a patient but the man seemed not the least bit perturbed by it. In fact, Morinaga plopped unceremoniously on the bed and continued to sit beside him, occasionally smiling at him but mostly focusing his attention on Souichi's stomach.

Suddenly, the man rested his palm against Souichi's skin, startling him. Morinaga did not notice, though. His large palm easily covered his abdomen, a tummy cover infused with wordless emotion. Softly, gently, Morinaga stroked their unborn child.

The baka looked as though he were about to cry. Souichi took in Morinaga's every gesture, every shift in expression. He must know about the near miscarriage, already. About their five- week- old second child, and how the punch he had sustained to the stomach had endangered it. "Hey."

"Hmm, Sempai?" Morinaga seemed to emerge from an ocean of thought and he turned to regard Souichi. A smile dangled on his lips but it was wobbly, as though sadness might overwhelm and turn it upside- down at any moment.

"Don't show that expression around Emi and the one inside there—it's downright depressing. You know, prenatal education being important and whatnot." Souichi mumbled. He gestured for Morinaga to come close and when the man did, he smacked him smartly on the head. "Shouldn't you be happy that your wish has come true, huh? You'd better be responsible!"

"…You're right, Sempai. My baby- making plan is a success! Hehe…" This time, Morinaga's smile could light up the room. "I'll take care of you for the rest of my life, Sempai. So you and the baby must recover quickly, okay? It's a promise!"

"Hah, so you shall have diaper duty till eternity! Don't come running to me if there's a fountain of poop again, like that time!"

"I promise!"

With Souichi awake and alert, their little family seemed to stabilize, to gather strength again. Morinaga was no longer as mopey, Emi was having the time of her life chewing on Souichi's hospital gown and colour was flowing back slowly but surely into the pregnant man's complexion. There was a general uplifting of mood. Hope had managed to take root, after all, and it now bloomed as unabashedly as the pink and yellow flora on the window ledge.

Dr. Yuki stepped into the ward, just in time to witness a spontaneous kiss between Emi's parents. He cleared his throat, which had the effect of a gunshot, if the way the men sprang apart was any indication. Hiding a smile and gesturing for the man behind him to enter first, Dr. Yuki greeted his patients. "Good evening, sirs."

"Good evening, Tatsumi- san, Morinaga- san. It's been a while." His guest spoke after him, a warm smile on his bear- like face.

"Dr. Hako! Why're you here! It's a pleasure seeing you again!" Morinaga, cheek stinging from the punch Souichi had given him for stealing a kiss, jumped up and shook their Nagoya gynaecologist enthusiastically by the hand.

"Dr. Yuki shared about your condition with me via email yesterday night. I was concerned so, since I had time in my schedule, I thought of coming down personally to offer my services," Dr. Hako replied amicably. He patted Morinaga on the shoulder and then approached Souichi. "Ah, is this little Emi- chan? My, she has certainly grown into a fine lady!"

"Yes, she's already going to be five months old next week. Here, you may carry her." So saying, Souichi relinquished his hold over his daughter and watched as the older doctor scooped her up and flew her around the room. Emi squealed in delight, completely unafraid.

"She's looking well, Tatsumi- san. And what about yourself? Is there any pain, any more cramping?" Dr. Hako ruffled Emi's hair a last time before passing her to Morinaga. He began a swift examination on Souichi's abdomen, noting the green bruise already forming from the punch, the way Souichi grimaced a little when he pressed gently on some areas.

"It's still rather sore. But it feels external rather than internal. Also, there's no cramping at the moment," Souichi replied. Actually, he could feel a little twinge, just a little but Morinaga was hovering around, the tight look of anxiety haunting his eyes again. Wishing to dispel that shadow of desolation, Souichi nodded when Dr. Hako and Dr. Yuki both recommended complete bed rest for the next few days.

"You may get up to go to the restroom but that's it. I would also recommend in- bed sponge baths until we can be sure that the signs of miscarriage have abated. No strenuous activity, no stretching, or reaching. Make sure to keep yourself calm and tranquil at all times. Let's get through this successfully so that your new baby can be carried to full- term, guys. Morinaga- san, you'll have the great responsibility of looking after your partner and children!"

"I'll gladly step up to it, Sensei! Thank you for helping us. We're in your debt." Morinaga bowed deeply.

"It's our duty, Morinaga- san. All right, we'll be back after dinner to do another check- up. If you're looking for food, our cafeteria serves some pretty good omu rice."

"I might buy it from there later, then. Thank you!"

"Then, see you later."

The doctors bowed once more and then exited the room. Morinaga placed Emi in her bassinet and came to sit beside Souichi once more. "I can't believe Dr. Hako actually came to Tokyo just for us! Isn't that great, Sempai? We have yet another person to help our baby!"

"That's definitely good news. We'll have to thank him properly. Oh, Morinaga, pass me my mobile; I have to contact Todai." Souichi grumbled at his lack of mobility but otherwise tried to make the best of his situation. He would do anything to protect the new life inside of him.

"Ah, Dr. Yuki and I have contacted Yuki Manami- san, Sempai. The doctor told me that she's very worried for you! She also said that she'd help to take care of your work in school so you can just rest well and recuperate. She's a good person, Sempai."

"Hah, I knew that all along but wasn't it you who went and got all peeved at her? Baaka." Souichi smirked when Morinaga pouted and he quickly typed out a message to Yuki Manami. Then he opened his contact book and searched for Prof. Satou's number. He had to report the saboteur to his professor. It was high time to escalate the issue. That damned bastard had hurt his baby; there was no way Souichi would let him go unpunished any longer.

"Sempai, was your attacker also the person who tried to damage your research?"

Damnit, Prof. Satou was still not contactable! What in the world was he doing for his sabbaticals—growing plants in space? Souichi left a long and terse voicemail and then shut his cell. He nodded at Morinaga's question. "That's damned right. I'm going to catch that little fucker and strangle him!"

"I'll do that for you, Sempai." Morinaga's tone was uncharacteristically grave. He looked up, the flare of anger sparking his olive eyes into bright emerald. "He harmed you and our baby for his personal gain; I won't stand for it!"

"It's my own thing, Morinaga. Don't go getting involved when you aren't even studying in Todai! That was why I didn't want to tell you about the incidents initially," Souichi growled. He was not irritated by Morinaga's concern; rather, he had recalled the last incident when his problems with Yamaha had culminated into a disastrous lab explosion. He had no desire to drag Morinaga into yet another whorl of trouble.

"But you are my husband, Sempai. Aren't I allowed to care for you?" Morinaga's face was a mask of dejection. He grabbed hold of Souichi's hand and kneaded it morosely in his grasp. "I want to be of use to you, Sempai."

"If you want to be useful, then take care of Emi in my stead. That'd be infinitely more practical, baka."

"Okay…" Seeing as Souichi was not about to budge from his stance, Morinaga could only acquiesce. "Would you be able to finish your proposal in time?"

"Hmm, I could still do it here, right? It's due the day after. By then, I should be able to be discharged, that is, if this one here cooperates." Souichi indicated towards his womb wryly.

"He will! You know, I dreamt about him, Sempai. He looks like me, but with golden- blonde hair, like you! He's such a sweetheart…" Morinaga rhapsodized, his face aglow with affection. Without warning, however, tears coalesced in the rims of his eyes. One droplet leaked out and rolled quietly down his cheeks, a clear jewel of pain. "…I don't want to lose him, Sempai."

"Me neither…" Souichi murmured. He felt another minute spasm in the depths of his womb and the fear that it roused made his heart pang. Now that they knew about the baby's existence, losing him was unthinkable, unbearable. With difficulty, he reached out and ruffled his partner's hair. "Nobody can take him away from us, Morinaga. He's inside of me, for Kami's sake. Do you think that I'll let him come to harm?"

"No…" Morinaga shook his head vehemently and sucked in his sniffles. He lifted his head and smiled bravely at Souichi. "I'm sorry, Sempai. I forgot all about prenatal education and talked so much nonsense in front of the baby…"

"Good that you remembered in the end," Souichi chided. He breathed in Morinaga's piney scent when the man leaned in for a hug. It calmed him, the rhythm of Morinaga's heart a gentle sea lapping at the shore. Souichi patted his back, an unconscious gesture of comfort. "Alright, stop moping around. And don't stay at the hospital any longer! You're not a patient and neither is Emi. I don't want her to be exposed to too much germs."

"But—"

"But nothing. Go home and sleep—you look horrid. Ah, but could you bring me my laptop tomorrow?"

"…Alright. And, okay," Morinaga said glumly. It was not the time to argue with Souichi now at a time when a peaceful atmosphere was encouraged, if not mandatory. The man continued to sit quietly by Souichi, however, for home was where his loved ones were.

There was a knock on the door and a nurse entered. She carried a white tray of food and with it the smells of miso and stewed chicken. What caught the attention of the men was not the nurse or the food, however. It was the tall, fair- skinned man that entered behind her that did. Dressed in a checkered top tucked haphazardly into faded blue jeans, his dark hair sticking every which way with day- old stubble on his chin, Nakanishi Shin looked every bit the shut- in scientist that he was. He walked hesitantly towards Souichi, throwing a polite if harried glance at Morinaga as he did so.

"Umm, good evening, Tatsumi- san. I learnt about your hospitalization at school and was worried. But it seems that you already have a visitor—"

"Ahh, are you a colleague of Sempai? Please, have a good chat with him." Morinaga hurriedly stood up and went to the bassinet to carry Emi. The little girl smiled at Nakanishi from his arms, her little head crocked to one side as though in question. "I'll wait outside with Emi- chan, Sempai."

"Thank you, uh—"

"Morinaga. I'm Morinaga Tetsuhiro. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, Morinaga- san. I'm Nakanishi Shin. Please take care of me."

"Likewise. Now, I'll just be outside. Sempai, see you later." Morinaga left the ward with the nurse and the door shut quietly behind them.

The nurse had adjusted Souichi's bed until he was seated at an angle suitable to partake of his dinner. Pulling the tray of food towards him, Souichi glanced in query at Nakanishi as the man stood awkwardly beside him, like a gawky, lanky pelican. "Why don't you sit, Nakanishi?"

"Ah, no—I—I just wanted to know if you were alright. Now that I've seen that you're, I'm glad." Nakanishi's pale skin turned a strange shade of pink as he spoke and he could not seem to hold his gaze when Souichi looked at him with his usual piercing eyes.

"My body's fine. Appreciate your concern, though." Souichi stuck a spoon into the miso soup and took a sip. He did not bring up his pregnancy. It was after all a private topic that he had not shared with the university or his colleagues save for Yuki Manami.

"Just—thank Kami that you're alright…!" Souichi's mild tone seemed to have tripped something off in Nakanishi, for he suddenly rushed within inches of Souichi and gripped the railings hard, causing the metal to vibrate. "When I saw the mess in the lab and then heard that you had been hurt, I thought the worst…! If you'd been badly injured…"

"Huh?" What was up with Nakanishi? They were colleagues who worked together in a team but that was all. Was there a need for the man to be so overwhelmed with concern for him? Nakanishi's face was flushed, his eyes, normally shy, now gazed at Souichi directly, intensely. There was anxiety reflected within; there was worry. There was also…No way, Nakanishi was looking at him with the same expression that Morinaga had earlier, moments before he had pounced on Souichi and embraced him.

Nakanishi made a sudden move and Souichi immediately pinned him with a warning glare, his defences shooting up faster than on the occasions when Morinaga tried one of his attacks. He might be overthinking things but there was no mistaking that desperate expression in Nakanishi's eyes, the inflamed passion that usually preceded a tremendous admission. He had experienced it from Morinaga countless times, after all. His kouhai turned partner turned husband had given him plenty of encounters with that unrelenting, soul- binding desire called love…Souichi surreptitiously leaned back as Nakanishi came forwards. "As you can see, I'm fine, Nakanishi. So you can go home now, can't you?"

Thinly veiled as it was, Nakanishi picked up on Souichi's distantness. He visibly deflated. However, he did stop trying to move closer to Souichi. Standing still, hands gripping his beaten briefcase like a lifeline, Nakanishi was a statue. The only motion was his trembling, which Souichi could detect even from his vantage point. The tension rolling off from the man was so cloying that he almost regretted trying to chase him home.

"I…"

"What?"

"Tatsumi- san, I—"

Outside, Emi suddenly started crying. Nakanishi jerked visibly at the disruption, his eyes darting towards the exit and then back to Souichi. Words seemed to be fighting to come out but the man continued to remain mute. His nerves were further jangled when Morinaga's voice floated in, a husky coo that murmured soothing words to the baby.

"If you have something to say, then just say it. I do want to finish my dinner before it gets cold, you know," Souichi said. He heaved a short sigh but folded his arms, ready to listen to his colleague. Maybe he did have something important to say, seeing as he had rushed all the way just to come and see him.

"…I like you, Tatsumi- san."

The door to the ward slid open just as Nakanishi, red to his ears, stammered out those significant words. There were now two other persons in the ward but Nakanishi was already over the edge, the adrenaline of confession loosening his inhibitions, pushing him forcefully towards an end. Nakanishi blubbered on, the torrent of his sentiments smashing fruitlessly against the walls of Souichi's and Morinaga's relationship. "I like you, and I've admired you since you came to Todai.

"You have such dedication for your work; such—such passion. Did you know that your eyes would have this l-luminous fire when you're focused? To me, a person who chose research only because I'm not good at anything else, you were so inspiring.

"And your spirit—I like it too. You are forthright, bold, and unpretentious. You say what you think is right and you do it too. You are scary, but I'm as in awe of you now as I was at the beginning. You are like the sun, strong and fierce. Radiant." Nakanishi whispered the last word, as though he himself could not believe how lyrical he was being. "I just…I just wanted to tell you that."

He had just gone and opened that can of worms. Souichi could smack himself for being so dumb. He had read the signs and yet he had practically invited the man to voice out those troubling things! Souichi stifled his sigh. Then he saw Morinaga's face. It was a palette of emotion, and betrayal was beginning to bleed over the shade of shock. Morinaga looked towards Souichi, his green eyes imploring him to explain. Even though he had also been taken aback by Nakanishi's confession, even though he had had no idea that the man felt that way towards him, Souichi still felt like the biggest asshole on earth. He could almost feel Morinaga's accusation slither towards him through the air and bite him where it hurt. Shit. This was just so much shit.

Morinaga suddenly moved but it was not towards Souichi or Nakanishi. With rapid steps, as though he wanted to disappear without being noticed, he was already by the door when Souichi shouted at him.

"No, don't leave, Morinaga!"

"B-but—"

"But nothing! What the hell, don't you want to hear my response to him?" Damnit, he had been told not to get riled up but look at what the fates had arranged for him! A tiny cramp sizzled through him and Souichi grimaced. He made to shout for his kouhai once more but Morinaga, seeing his discomfort, had abandoned any thought of trying to be chivalrous and rushed back to Souichi to soothe him.

"Sempai, where does it hurt? Should I call for the doctor?"

Souichi glared hotly at his stupid partner. What the hell, which husband in the world would run away when his partner was being confessed to by another person?! Just what the heck was Morinaga thinking? Did he think that Souichi would accept Nakanishi?! Thinking about Morinaga's earlier reaction only made Souichi more incensed and he punched Morinaga right in the kisser.

Morinaga staggered back, holding his protesting nose. Even invalid, Souichi's punch was still a force to be reckoned. He looked doubly hurt; those doe eyes almost liquefying as he gazed mournfully back at Souichi. "S-sempai—"

"You are the dumbest idiot that I've ever seen! Stay put while I talk to Nakanishi." For good effect, Souichi managed to glare Morinaga into taking a seat on the couch, where he would be present but not be in the way. He made sure that the man was not going to disappear before he finally returned his attention to poor Nakanishi. "You."

"Y-yes!" Snapping to attention, very much like a rookie soldier answering to his sergeant, Nakanishi's hopeful countenance was almost too painfully earnest to behold. He looked confused as to why Morinaga had to be present but chose to remain quiet. Despite the audience, the scientist waited stoically for Souichi's response.

"I'm not a homo, Nakanishi, nor a gay," Souichi began. On the couch, Morinaga twitched and then sagged into the cushions. "Also, I have ever only looked upon you as a colleague, nothing more, nothing less. But that's besides the point." The waters of fate had pushed them into this whirlpool; Souichi figured, and correctly, that telling the truth to Nakanishi was the only way to curb his ill- directed sentiments. "The point is: I already have a family, Nakanishi, and they are very important to me."

"Family…" Nakanishi sounded faint. He glanced towards Souichi's hands, at his bare ring finger. "I didn't know…"

"You couldn't have known since I didn't tell you about it," Souichi said, a tad impatiently. His attitude softened some when Nakanishi's face crumbled at his sharp tone. The man was hunched into himself, his already weak presence becoming even less detectable. "Anyway, that's all I can say to you…sorry."

"Unn…un, I understand…" Nakanishi's face burned a dull red. He turned abruptly, took two steps. When he looked back at Souichi, the man had managed to school his features into a smile. Forced, it was, and incongruous with his reddened eyes, it spoke volumes of Nakanishi's valiancy. "I apologise for disturbing your rest. Then, see you in school, Tatsumi- san. Please take care…" With a short bow that was barely executed, Nakanishi ducked his head and trotted towards the exit, fire at his heels. Within seconds, he had left, leaving only plumes of stupefaction in his aftermath.

"What's the world coming to, seriously…" Souichi looked down at his food and suddenly felt nauseous. He pushed the tray aside and leaned back against the sheets. He did not need such complications at a time like this! There was already so much going on that he felt that his brain might explode.

Then there was his silly man. When the discomfort in the pit of his stomach finally settled, Souichi sat up again and looked at his lover. There was a huge cloud of gloom hanging over that corner of the room; Morinaga looked like an abandoned child. Souichi sighed. In all his life, he had never expected to be confessed to by a man, much less two! What was more incorrigible was that Morinaga had witnessed that carnival earlier!

He was about to knock some sense into his kouhai when Morinaga himself stood up. Scrupulously avoiding Souichi's eye, the man took Emi's milk bottle warming in a sanitizer and began to feed her with it. He ambled round and round the room but his axis never crossed over to Souichi's bed. His back was a painting of dolefulness.

From his bed, Souichi followed Morinaga's pacing. He was getting a little dizzy just looking at him turning rounds like a clockwork ballet dancer. Still, he waited. Soon, Emi finished feeding and started to fret. Morinaga burped her, whispering little endearments in her ear. His smile slipped in and out of view. Souichi found himself straining to catch it, that elusive joy that hid behind their daughter's head.

"Let me carry Emi for a while." Sensing that Morinaga was not going to approach him in that petulant mood of his, Souichi had to resort to using his daughter as a conductive bridge. It worked, however. Morinaga finally stopped resisting Souichi's pull and willingly went close to his center of gravity.

"There, Sempai," Morinaga murmured. He carefully positioned Emi into Souichi's arms, hovered over them as Emi squirmed around and then finally settled peacefully against her daddy's chest.

"You heard what I said to Nakanishi, right?"

Morinaga paused, his hand resting on Emi's back. He lifted droopy lashes to glance at Souichi, his expression troubled. "…Yes."

"Then why do you still look like that?" Souichi pinched Morinaga's nose, made him snort in breathlessness. When Morinaga threw hurt, puppy eyes at him, he gentled his abuse, shifting his touch so that he now stroked at the frown between the man's brows. "Are you suspecting that I'll betray you?"

"No—!" Morinaga was so scandalized that he completely forgot about being morose. That exaggerated look of disbelief made Souichi smile inwardly. "Anyway, you said yourself that you weren't a homo!"

"Exactly. Glad to see that you're clear- headed, for once."

Morinaga smiled happily, already too used to Souichi's sarcasm to be pricked by it. He nuzzled against his palm, a cottequish kitten that had finished throwing its tantrum. Then he suddenly jerked up, as though just realizing his own words. "Sempai, you're not a homo, but it doesn't mean that you…you are not going to stop being mine, right? I mean, we are going to be married and all and—"

"—And now you are being idiotic again. Stop thinking about stupid things! Kami, and here I was wondering what you were thinking about in that thick skull of yours. I shouldn't have bothered," Souichi retorted exasperatedly.

"You will marry me, right, Sempai?" As with matters that concerned Souichi, Morinaga was gravely serious. He forced Souichi to look straight at him. "Sempai?"

Souichi studied his lover's face, instinctively rooting out the last shard of uncertainty that had remained embedded in Morinaga's heart. Was he going to doubt him forever after that one mistake? Relationships were as delicate as spider webs, sustainable only because people spun threads of emotions that were as complicated and intricate as the most luxurious silks. It seemed that he was the fly caught in Morinaga's trap, then. Just one look from the silly boy and he was putty in his hands. "…We'll see how it goes next week."

"Whattt—!" Morinaga's mouth hung open in horror. He collapsed against Souichi and started begging. "Sempaiii!"

"Stop acting like a child, Morinaga. Look, you're crowding me! Shoo, shoo."

"I don't want to!" Morinaga's lower lip stuck out, his arms folded beneath his chin. "Sempai, I know that you just rejected him very clearly but I'm still worried…"

"About that Nakanishi? Why the hell would you be worried?"

"That's 'cos you're my husband but that man—that man actually confessed to you right in front of me! Of course I'd be worried!" Morinaga peered anxiously at Souichi and became even more agitated at the long- haired man's apparent apathy. "Sempai, are you close to that guy?"

"He's just my colleague, idiot."

"…The one whom you complimented a few days ago?"

Souichi shot Morinaga a dry look. "You actually remember insignificant details like that?"

"So that means that it was Nakanishi! Darn—the situation doesn't look good. That's bad…Ah, Sempai! I'd better take an extended leave from my company and help you out at Todai! I don't trust that Nakanishi—I won't put it past him to push you down at school!"

"Morinaga." Souichi's voice was a warning growl.

"Or what if he makes use of the research to try and get closer to you? Oh no, there are so many hours that you two would be together! What if he—"

"Don't be an idiot, Morinaga!" Souichi roared. "We are already family so even if Nakanishi tried something funny, I'd kick his ass so far that nothing would happen! So screw your head on straight and stick to the regular routine! If you want the baby to be healthy then you'd better stop making me so fucking angry! Arughh!"

Souichi's verbal bomb had exploded right in Morinaga's face and so the man was momentarily stunned speechless, his green eyes wide and shocked. Then he smiled, so sweetly appeased by Souichi's reassurance that he was fairly beaming. He kissed Souichi on the lips, catching the man by surprise. "Yes, Sempai. Thank you."

Souichi barely had time to blink before he was being kissed again. Morinaga's lips pressed insistently against his, his tongue licking lighting against Souichi's until he opened his mouth to him. The kiss lasted moments but the drugged effect that it left in Souichi would persist for hours, yet.

"I love you, Sempai. As I already love our little newbie. Don't you think that he's like a blessing for our wedding next week?"

"Hmm, he might actually be one." Souichi mused. All babies were blessings and the one he was carrying was their second one, after Emi.

"I pray that you two will recover by the time we sign our papers, Sempai. It'd be double the happiness, double the joy, then...!"

"You're just afraid that I'd cancel the ceremony, aren't you?" Souichi deadpanned. At Morinaga's crestfallen face, he quickly added, "It's a joke, a joke! If I hadn't been serious, did you think that I'd waste my time cultivating the recombinant plant as an engagement gift?"

"Nope, you wouldn't." Like a child, Morinaga treasured any piece of affection from Souichi and soon, he was smiling away again, buoyed by the news of their child and their impending marriage. "Now if only we could catch the culprit sabotaging your research-!"

Souichi nodded solemnly. His mobile rang just then and he picked it up, opened the message. "It's from Yuki Manami. She says that she'll visit me tomorrow. Also, it seems that she's heard some things regarding the sabotaging and will tell me tomorrow. This is fantastic-when I catch the little bastard, I'm going to crush him in my fist."

Morinaga glanced at Souichi's clenched knuckles and shivered.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	8. Like a tiger, slowly but surely

**a/n: Not the longest chapter 'cos it's a connector of sorts. But still, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Like a tiger, ****slowly but surely**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

A huge basket of fruit greeted Souichi first thing in the morning and he was not very surprised when Yuki Manami popped her head in a few seconds later, looking bright and fresh in black frames and a casual cotton dress. She had dropped by to visit him en route to work.

"Good morning, Tatsumi- san." Manami plopped down on the chair beside the bed, her chocolate brown eyes soft with concern. She looked very young, her newly- cropped hair reminding Souichi of Kanako. "I heard from my husband about your condition. First off, congratulations! Secondly, are you feeling better today?"

"I'm fine. In fact, I was just thinking of getting discharged—all the hovering is getting to me," Souichi said dryly. He sat up in bed and waved away Manami's hand when she tried to help him.

"I'm siding with my husband on this, Tatsumi- san. You should take extra precaution since your pregnancy is so new," Manami chided, much like a bossy sister. She retrieved a peach from the basket. "Want this?"

"Yea, thanks." Souichi waited for Manami to rinse the fruit and pass it back to him. "You didn't have to buy such a huge basket of fruits, though."

"Well, the peaches were my idea; the rest was from my husband! I asked him, 'Did you want your patient to have the runs?' and he laughed." Manami made a face and chortled. "Anyway, don't worry about the experiments; I've already finished running the analysis that was scheduled for this week."

"I hate to admit it, but you are efficient. Thanks again, Yuki- san." Souichi bit into the peach and savoured the watery sweetness. "Morinaga informed you about the night sabotage, right? Was the culprit caught? There should have been a CCTV in the main lab. "

Manami shook her head ruefully. "Nah, there was some uproar over the mess yesterday morning, with the professors trying to push responsibility onto one another. However, the CCTV wasn't of much use. It only captured the back view of the saboteur and not much else. In fact, nobody knew what had happened until Morinaga- san called me. Since Prof. Satou was not in, I reported the incident to Prof. Naoki, the next in charge. He sent you his well- wishes and said that he'd look into the matter."

"Fu—freak. What's the use of placing security cameras, then…" Souichi muttered. "Prof. Satou's been un- contactable. I called but had to leave a message regarding the sabotaging. He'd better be in tomorrow!"

"Yea, he should be back tomorrow. The thing is, will you be discharged by then?"

"I don't see why not—I feel well today." That was true. There was none of those cramps or twinges that had plagued him yesterday. Souichi hoped that that was a sign that the baby's condition had stabilized. "The doctors would be by for a checkup later in the afternoon. If everything's clear, I should be able to get out of here soon."

"I sure hope so!" Manami seconded. "Ahh, there's another thing—! Remember that I said I would ask around about the sabotaging? Well, I heard some things, though I'm not sure if they are related to your issue…"

Souichi was all ears instantly. "What did you hear?"

"Well, this happened to one of my seniors two years ago. She was working on an experiment on herbalism and was on the cusp of presenting for a major conference in USA. However, just a week before she was due to fly, she fell down the stairs and fractured both her legs. Needless to say, she had to forgo the conference."

"Wasn't that due to her own heedlessness?"

"The sole from her shoes fell off just as she was going down the stairs. It was a brand new pair of flats that she had left in her locker to wear for labs. The sole had been pried off her shoes and then filmily stuck back to give the appearance that everything was fine.

"Now, maybe we could say that somebody had a personal grudge and tried to prank her. But the important point here is, the accident was only the cherry on top of the sundae. Before that, she had also complained about samples being stolen or damaged. Her herb experiments were actually delayed due to the sabotages. She had only barely completed them in time for the conference when she broke her legs." Manami sighed sympathetically.

"…Gives new meaning to the phrase 'break a leg'. Seems like somebody wanted to wish more than good luck to her," Souichi mused. "Was the culprit caught?"

"No. The culprit was also never specified for the next incident either, which happened just last year. Remember Nakanishi- san, our teammate?"

"Hey, my memory for people is not that bad, okay." Souichi pursed his lips, recalling that man's words from yesterday. Tomoe must have infected him with the homo virus! How else could he explain Nakanishi's inexplicable confession?! "And what about him?"

"Well, I was asking around in school and I heard that he had been accused of plagiarizing and stealing another peer's research."

"…Are you serious. Wait, could he actually be the perpetuator this time?" Was it possible that Nakanishi had confessed his love to Souichi but at the same time, stabbed him in the back? Could the soft- spoken man be capable of such cunning duality? Souichi imagined Nakanishi's earnest expression, the reddened eyes that had only accentuated the sallowness of his skin.

"I'm not sure…" Manami sounded troubled. "However, the story goes like this: Nakanishi- san had prepared a research proposal that would explore various plant- based chemicals that are said to have fat- busting properties. However, on the day of submission, somebody had already handed in the exact same research proposal for grant application, ahead of Nakanishi- san.

"As expected, there was a big hoo- hah with the professors. Nakanishi- san insisted that he was innocent of plagiarizing but the other party accused him relentlessly of the crime. Due to the severity of the issue, both sides were required to show evidence of their work. Unfortunately, since the research proposal was just an idea, no experiments had been carried out yet. Most of the work was just theoretical and paper research, which could be easily done by either side. Thus, with no hard evidence to prove that Nakanishi- san had been the first to hatch the idea, the other party got his proposal approved and Nakanishi- san was branded with the label of a plagiarizer.

"Since then, the label has stuck, although there was also no proof to show that Nakanishi- san had plagiarized that other student's work. That's why, although he's been working under Prof. Satou for the longest and is also the most hardworking, his research proposals have, ever since then, never been approved. It's really sad, actually."

"In other words, it's a stalemate," Souichi said. "Nobody knows for sure who stole whose idea."

"Exactly. Though, from what I know of Nakanishi- san, he doesn't strike me as somebody who would take short cuts and claim somebody else's work for his own. That's just not his style."

"Hmmm…" To be honest, Souichi agreed with Manami. The Nakanishi Shin he worked with had always appeared straightforward and simple, a shy and quiet worker whose experience should have made him team leader but had never been given a chance to become one. To think that there was such a complicated reason why the guy was still not principal investigator even with his years of research. "But I don't get it—what has these two cases got to do with mine?"

"As I said, I can't be sure but don't you think that there are some common factors between the three cases? First of all, all of them occurred in our own department; they are our own peers and seniors. Secondly, those who got sabotaged were involved in herbal medicine research, which has seen a great surge in popularity, commercially and academically."

"But that could just be pure coincidence."

"…All three of you also have another similarity."

"What's that?" It was as though they were grasping at straws, trying to catch a slippery bastard that was hiding in the shadows.

"Didn't you tell me that your new research is going to be about Cnidium officinale? Well, my senior's and Nakanishi- san's work also featured this herb prominently, though they explored different aspects of its medicinal properties. Don't you think that it's too much of a coincidence, then?"

Perhaps they were not grasping at straws, after all. When Manami put it that way, it did seem that somebody was intent on stopping others from the study of that particular plant. "Who would benefit from doing this? What about that guy that Nakanishi went against—he should be the first person we should look into."

"Hmm, I'd have to ask Nakanishi- san. I looked for him yesterday but he disappeared shortly after reporting for work. Nobody knew where he went to, He didn't go back to school either. Kinda strange, seeing as he's always working late into the night."

"Un hnn…" Souichi knew very well where the man had gone yesterday. He did not tell Manami, though. "I'll ask him myself about that guy. Your senior, too, if you still have her contact."

"I could help you to ask them! You should be recuperating, not worrying about such things."

"No, this concerns my work. I will not let anybody ruin it."

"Okay…" Manami did not sound convinced but she still passed him her senior's contact email and number. "I'll continue to ask around and see if I can get more information. Then, I'll go back to school first!"

"Thanks, Yuki- san. See you."

"Have a good rest! And congratulations once more! I can't wait for our children to play together when they grow up! " Manami grinned and waved. On that cheery note, she left to go to work.

As it was still before eight, Morinaga would not be here for another hour. Souichi leaned back against the sheets, the quiet and sunshine cultivating an environment for deep thought.

Cnidium officinale. The herb was the biggest clue that might elucidate the perpetuator's identity. Souichi thought for a moment and then retrieved his laptop from the bedside table. He waited for the system to boot up and then quickly typed in some words. A list of published scholarly articles began to load, showing the article titles, authors, and the number of times they had been cited. The two keywords that he had searched for were highlighted in bold.

There were about a hundred research articles on Cnidium officinale that had been published by Todai's researchers. Among those, some articles were not focused on the medicinal or health aspects of the herb. Souichi filtered those out and also others that were not so relevant. The revised list was shortened to about seventy entries. Two names began to pop up in recurrence, two very familiar names.

"Satou Takeru, Naoki Seijirou…" That would be Prof. Satou and Prof. Naoki, respectively. All the articles contained either of their names. Out of the seventy articles published, forty was under Prof. Satou's belt, with the remaining under Prof. Naoki's.

That was interesting; Prof. Satou had not mentioned that he had such an abiding interest in the research of the herb. Then there was Prof. Naoki. This was the third time that his name had come up around Souichi in recent times. What had Manami said last time, something about Prof. Naoki's work being centered on herbalism? A niggling sense of suspicion began to tickle his mind. Souichi continued to read through each entry. Darn, his independent study on Cnidium officinale fitted perfectly in the realm of dietary medicinal herbs. Somebody was trying to stop him from getting credit in that field.

"Effect of dietary medicinal herbs on lipid metabolism and stress recovery: a theoretical study…" As he was scrolling through the list, Souichi found a paper that had been published just that July. It sounded a lot like what Manami had mentioned about Nakanishi's aborted proposal. Souichi glanced at the authors' names. He did not recognize the first author but the second author's name made him pause, his mood turning grim. Naoki Seijirou. What was Prof. Naoki's name doing on a paper that should have been published under Prof. Satou's team? Wasn't this outright plundering?

However, he could not prove anything just from cross- checking names on research articles. Souichi thought for a while and then took down the first author's name. This was probably the guy that had locked horns with Nakanishi over the research proposal. He went to Todai's website and then entered the science faculty's home page. In a few minutes, he had managed to obtain the student's contact information.

Souichi was just about to send an email out when there was a knock on the door. Morinaga entered, accompanied by Emi, who was strapped to him in her swaddle. Morinaga was spotting a shirt written 'Me' while Emi's top was scrawled with the words 'Mini me'. How apt. Both of them were smiling, bottle- green eyes squinted up in pleasure at the sight of Souichi. Their canniness was really impossible to ignore; Morinaga was etched in Emi's cheeks, her jaws, down to her twinkling dimples. Souichi wondered where his DNA had disappeared into in their eldest. With the entry of his family, Souichi put his work aside for the moment, though he left the laptop switched on. The tension in his spirit eased, somewhat. "Yo."

"Morning, Sempai! How are you today? Wow, that's a huge basket of fruit—wait, this couldn't be from Nakanishi Shin, could it?" Morinaga swiftly padded over to Souichi's side and glanced worriedly at the 'incriminating' basket.

"Don't be an idiot—why the hell would Nakanishi return? That's from the Yukis. Manami came over earlier before work. She updated me about work and also some intel about the sabotaging incidents." Souichi carried Emi as Morinaga passed her over. The little girl immediately rested her head against his nape, seeming to miss his presence after a night of absence. Souichi kissed her head, savouring her squishy warmth. Morinaga had bathed and changed Emi before coming over so now the baby smelled like talcum and baby primrose oil. She smelled like home. "Morinaga, have you eaten breakfast? If you're hungry, help yourself to the fruit. The peaches are pretty good."

"Okay, Sempai. Want me to make a fruit bowl, then? You could eat it while doing your work." Placated, Morinaga began to pick out some fruit and put them in a wooden bowl that he had brought over from home. "Tell me more about what Yuki- san told you later!"

After Morinaga had finished cutting the fruit and Souichi had freshened up for the day, both of them settled back on the bed. Souichi filled in his kouhai on everything that Manami had said and what he had discovered while searching online. As he spoke, Morinaga's face grew grimmer and grimmer. He finally set down his fork and said, "Sempai, I don't think that your night attacker would be caught any time soon."

"Why do you say that?" Despite his question, Souichi knew what Morinaga was driving at. He stabbed at a slice of peach and shoved it into his mouth.

"'Cos that Prof. Naoki sounds suspicious! I mean, if that paper that you mentioned had initially belonged to Nakanishi Shin then it shouldn't have been published under Prof. Naoki's team at all! However, the reality has shown us that something is afoot with that herbalism professor!"

"Yea but I don't have evidence that points unerringly towards him—"

"—Ah, I know! Since he's in charge of investigating the night attack, he'll surely find a way to bury the incident. If nothing comes out of his inquiry then we would know that he has something to hide!"

Morinaga had a point. The damage to the lab had been quite substantial; the faculty would want to make sure that the culprit was found. On the other hand, if Prof. Naoki had a crooked interest in the entire sabotaging affair then he would probably drag out the investigation or find a scapegoat that would not be traced back to him. Souichi nodded. "I'll escalate the issue to Prof. Satou again. As head professor, he should have considerably more clout than that Naoki."

"I hope so. From what you told me, I get the feeling that the two professors are competing with each other over the number of papers published about Cnidium officinale."

"The herb's the next 'it' thing in the dietary medicinal plant field and many pharmaceutical companies are looking into translating its benefits for the masses so of course it'd be a hot topic. Regardless, pilfering and stealing of other people's research just to get the upper hand in credentials is the lowest. I won't let this issue slide, like what Manami's senior and Nakanishi did," Souichi vowed.

"I'll support you, Sempai!"

* * *

A cool layer of gel was spread over his skin. With his top rucked up, Souichi breathed evenly as Dr. Yuki rolled the ultrasound scanner over his womb. The image on the monitor beside him shifted with every movement of the scanner. Dr. Yuki finally found the position of the fetus and plucked on his stethoscope. He placed the receptor over the fetus and listened intently.

"Can you hear his heartbeat, Sensei?" Morinaga waited anxiously beside Souichi. He had taken the day off as well and had been accompanying Souichi since morning, although he had been shooed multiple times to go back to work. They were having a full body checkup today and the results would decide if Souichi could be discharged or continue to stay back for observation.

"Hmmm…" Dr. Yuki moved the receptor right beneath Souichi's belly button and then let Morinaga listen in. "You may hear it yourself."

Morinaga took the stethoscope hesitantly and plugged it into his ears. For the first few seconds, he only looked confused. Then, Dr. Yuki shifted the receptor a little. A look of wonderment slowly bloomed on Morinaga's face. He was listening to the miracle of life itself, of blood being pumped through microscopic vessels in a ball of cells that would eventually evolve into a biologically complex human being. Morinaga's smile was dreamy; his eyes when he looked at Souichi thrilled, gratified. "His heartbeat sounds like this: du-dum-du-dum-du-dum-du-dum! It's really, really fast! Dr. Yuki, I'm listening to his heartbeat, right?"

"Yes. At five to six weeks, the baby's blood circulatory system has just formed. That's why you can detect a heartbeat, although it may not sound strong at the moment. As the embryo develops, his heartbeat will increase in rate and strength.

"Nonetheless, it's great that we can detect the embryo's heartbeat. Coupled with an absence of cramping and bleeding, the preliminary diagnosis seems pretty good."

"Hahhh…thank Kami!" Morinaga gripped Souichi's hand and he smiled hard. "Sempai…!"

"Thanks, Dr. Yuki. Also, thanks, Dr. Hako." Souichi glanced at the second doctor, who was standing quietly by the side. He would be leaving for Nagoya that night.

"You're very welcome, Tatsumi- kun. It feels a little nostalgic, don't you think? But you and the baby are in very good hands. Dr. Yuki here is young but very knowledgeable. I've also shared all that I know regarding your case with him so he is aware of your medical history. With this, I can go back to Nagoya in peace."

"Un. Thank you, Dr. Hako. Thanks for coming all the way to Tokyo for us. Ah, are you going back tonight? Then let's have lunch together! We'd like to give you a treat."

"A lunch treat? Hmmm…" Dr. Hako looked around the ward and spied the basket, which was still overflowing with fruit. He picked a juicy peach and gestured with it playfully. "I shall just take this as my dues, Tatsumi- kun. So, please at least stay in bed for the rest of the day. As your doctor, your health and the baby's are much more important than my lunch treat."

"At least let us treat you to a cup of coffee! Dr. Yuki, we owe you one, too!"

"Then, Morinaga, why don't you treat them on my behalf? I'm already fine—all three of you can stop hovering over me! I think there's a Hoshino's just beside this department." Souichi wanted to get the men out of his hair, fast. He could only stand being coddled for so long! His work was beckoning and he was itching to get back to his proposal before the deadline tomorrow.

The two doctors glanced at each other and then broke out in smiles. "Then we shall take you up on the offer, Morinaga- san. Tatsumi- san, have a good rest. If everything remains well tonight then you should be able to go home tomorrow."

"That sounds just about right. Now, I'm just going to get back to my work so just go for the coffee, already!"

"He's shooing us, isn't he?" Dr. Hako shook his head ruefully at Dr. Yuki and he sighed exaggeratedly.

"Yes he is. Come on; let's go for that coffee. Morinaga- san, may I order a pancake soufflé to go with it?" Dr. Yuki teased.

"Of course you may! Ah, let's bring Emi- chan along; it's good for her to get some sunshine." Morinaga hastily scooped Emi up from her bassinet and then came close to Souichi again. Despite the audience, he tried to steal a kiss but was rewarded accordingly with a punch and a swearing. "Aww, Sempai!"

"Aww nothing! Just wait till I can move freely! You are so gonna get it!" Souichi pushed Morinaga's beseeching face away, his fingers effectively pinching the man on the lips. "Morinaga!"

Dr. Hako looked on the bickering couple, a fond smile on his lined face. His most unique couple to date, Souichi and Morinaga were memorable not only because they were a male couple who had naturally made a child together but also because their temperamental dynamics belied a strong bond that had withstood the stress of a male pregnancy and its accompanying complications. With Emi- chan healthy and another child on the way, his male patients seemed set on a road to familial bliss. It felt good, seeing them still going strong. Dr. Hako bit into the peach, startling a little when the juices spurted out. But it was darned delicious.

"Oh yes!" Somehow, through all the arm- flailing and elbow- pushing, Morinaga had managed to land a kiss on Souichi's cheek. Smirking because his tenacity had won out, the man ambled over to the two doctors, looking like he was on top of the world. "Let's go, gentlemen!"

"Morinaga!" Souichi's roar could have brought down the entire building. Fortunately, his incorrigible partner and father of their babies was already out of danger's way and was already sauntering towards a hot cup of coffee and fluffy pancake souffles.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	9. Unseen enemies

**A/n: Dear all, thank you for being patient. I present: Chapter 8.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Unseen enemies**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

"You sure you'll be alright, Sempai?"

"Yes—! How many times have I repeated myself—I'm just going to hand in my proposal!"

"Couldn't you do it electronically?"

"Well, yea, except that somebody is trying to screw up my research. I want to hand it in personally to Prof. and also highlight the sabotaging incidents to him."

"…All right."

The entire dialogue was being held in Souichi's hospital ward, where he was getting ready to be discharged from. Morinaga had taken half a day off to accompany him and was now tucking his toiletries into an overnight bag. The man frowned at Souichi, mild disapproval on his face. "I think that you're being discharged too quickly, though."

"It was not quickly enough," Souichi retorted. He finished tying up his long hair and swept it carelessly to his back. All changed and prepared, he swung his legs on the floor and stood up for what seemed like the first time in ages. Ah, it felt good to be mobile. With feet anchored by gravity, he stretched a little and went through an internal body check. The knuckle- shaped bruise on his abdomen had bloomed into a blue- purple bouquet but it did not feel as achy as before. There was also no sign of any cramps. He felt completely normal, in other words, pissed off and raring to go.

Thanks to the bastard who might or might not have something to do with Professor Naoki Seijirou, Souichi had nearly lost his child and his research was now at risk. It was preposterous! Now that he was hale again, there was hell to be paid and he was going to be the debt- collector. Battle- ready, he made to sling the bag but Morinaga immediately pulled the strap from him, looking scandalized.

"Let me carry the bag, Sempai. It's too hea—" At Souichi's scowl, Morinaga wisely stopped before he could insult him even further. Nevertheless, the black knapsack ended up slung over the younger man's shoulder and both of them began to walk out of the ward. "Ah hah—since Todai is so near, why don't I go with you to hand in your work, Sempai?" As Morinaga spoke, his hand stretched out towards Souichi, as though expecting him to take ahold of it.

Souichi glared at that outstretched hand and smacked it aside. Morinaga seemed prepared to coddle him even out of hospital! With a regal sweep of his hair, he stalked out of the ward without a backward glance at the other man. "If you dare follow me, you're dead meat, Morinaga."

"Sempai…!" Left behind, Morinaga's wail echoed down the corridor, eliciting curious glances from other patients and nurses. "Wait, you aren't supposed to strain your body!"

"I'm not, idiot," Souichi tossed the words behind him. Even with Morinaga's irritating hovering, it still felt great being unchained from perpetual bed rest. Souichi headed down the pale corridor, passing by several nurses and pregnant patients. Their swollen forms reminded him that he would start showing in the middle of the semester, just as how it had happened with Emi. Arrangements would have to be made with Todai for his last trimester. Urgh, once more, the progress of his doctorate would be slowed down. It was getting to feel as though he would never graduate… However, just the thought of another little boy or girl, his little boy or girl, was sufficient to dissipate such disparaging thoughts. Life had already thrown him so many curveballs this past year; he could get used to another.

From the other end of the coral corridor appeared a familiar figure. Decked in his usual white robe and glasses, Dr. Yuki recognized Souichi and nodded in greeting. Patient and doctor soon converged at a meeting point and each prepared to say their goodbye. "Dr. Yuki, thanks for everything up till now."

"You're welcome. Congratulations on your discharge." Dr. Yuki smiled warmly and shook Souichi's hand in western camaraderie. "However, take things easy for the next few weeks. The usual warning of no strenuous activity still applies. Stay off your feet as much as possible until at least the second month of the pregnancy."

Though the restrictions chafed, Souichi nodded in acquiesce. Morinaga finally caught up beside him and the man also shook their doctor's hand. "Sensei, is there anything that I should look out for with regards to Sempai?"

"The same as I told Tatsumi- san. However, it would be advisable to cook some nutritious recipes for him. Here, these are some suggested meal preps for expecting parents that I obtained from the hospital's dietician. In addition, make sure that he loads up on his folic acid and other vitamins." Dr. Yuki passed them the white folder that he had been grasping under his arm. "They contain some pamphlets for the early stages of pregnancy, which will list out some symptoms and ways to alleviate them."

"Hey, that's just assuming that I don't know how to cook for myself!" Souichi protested. He was not some hapless chap who did not know how to take care of himself, even in such circumstances!

"Sempai, I think that's a moot point. Are you sure that you can handle these dishes?" Morinaga sniggered. To prove his case, he opened the dietician book and showed the pages to Souichi.

Foreign and intimidating words rose up from the pages, terms such as 'sauté', 'slow broil and 'tie up the pork into four cubes before wrapping it with shiso leaves and pan- fry it until smoking point'. Souichi tried hard not to blink and looked back at Morinaga, his face bland. "Easy as pie, Morinaga."

Morinaga only smirked knowingly and shut the book. He turned back to Dr. Yuki and said, "Thank you for the advice, Sensei. I'll definitely take care of them!"

"I know that you'll, Morinaga- san," Dr. Yuki chuckled. "Ah, last but not least, I've also attached the sonogram shot from yesterday." Morinaga immediately opened the file and gazed at the snapshot. "I'll see you again next month, when you come for your next ultrasound, gentlemen."

"Thank you for the care, Dr. Yuki!"

With the discharge and insurance forms all settled, the men went to collect some pre- natal supplements from the out- patient pharmacy before stepping out of the hospital. "Dr. Yuki's a good man, Sempai. I'm glad that he's our obstetrician in Tokyo. Ah- Yuki- san's pregnant, too, right? What a wonderful coincidence!" Morinaga mused. They stepped out onto a sheltered walkway that connected to the university and in that direction they headed, Souichi fitting immediately into the university scene in his casual clothes while Morinaga looked out of place in his black business suit. Nonetheless, the man continued to saunter beside Souichi, admiring the sonogram picture that was the evidence of their second child. "Look, Sempai, our baby's a blob…He's so small!"

"Yea. For Emi, we only had sonograms from her second month onwards. Now we know how she looked like this early, too," Souichi answered. He took the black and white image and gazed at the image of his child. Just one year ago, he had been bowled over by his pregnancy and had sat, a lost man, on a park bench. Now, he was with his partner and lover, taking in the news of his second baby with aplomb. With different eyes, one saw different things. He had changed; he had grown, and gained many intangible things along the way, even though he was loath to admit that to his excitable lover.

"Great, I'm going to create a photo diary for him, too! This shall be filed under 'five weeks old'," Morinaga decided. He tucked the photo back into the white folder and began to hum. Souichi only shook his head and pretended that he did not know him.

The pathway from the university hospital opened up into the school's private park, which featured a serene pond and the gentle foliage of maples and cherry blossoms. As they rounded the pond, Morinaga quieted down and then stopped chatting. The 'zree- zree' singing of cicadas was loud, the air surprisingly cool in the shade. Murrelets darted around, their yellow underbellies providing fleeting spots of colour amidst the greenery. Sunlight sparked off the clear pond water, creating tiny rainbows on its surface. Morinaga, his voice a decibel lower than usual, said, "It's such a beautiful day."

"…Un." Initially about to protest against his tagging along, Souichi swallowed his words. He glanced at his lover. More than the scenery, Morinaga seemed to be referring to something else. The man was in a ponderous mood. Well, there was no harm in walking together a little further. And that was what they did.

Gradually, their pace slowed, feet crunching in synchrony along the pebbled path. The pond was big, the atmosphere ever tranquil and peaceful. The men walked between twin lines of trees, whose trunks cast tall and graceful silhouettes. Even though there were other people around, students and professors, Souichi and Morinaga were alone with nature, alone with each other. A breeze picked up and ruffled their hair. Souichi put one foot in front of the other and breathed in Morinaga's scent. Ah, now he understood—Morinaga's prayer. It was what had stirred the wind; what had roused the secret powers of the woods and fox spirits.

Along the way, they had fallen into step together, the silence between them comfortable and easy. There was an intimacy there, a curtain of privacy that nobody could invade. Once, at the arc of the pond, they shared a hug. Willow leaves shrouded them from prying eyes and even Souichi's usual prickliness was missing in action. A second, ten seconds; three hearts beat together skin- to- skin. Both men's spirits that had been bruised from the miscarriage scare were soothed to a considerable degree.

The spell broke as they exited the heart garden and the Agriculture building came into view. Morinaga looked all ready to enter the building with him but here, Souichi came to a firm stop. There was no sense in having Morinaga put everything else aside just for his matters. "Alright, this's as far as you'll go, Morinaga."

"But I'm already here—why don't I just go with you to the professor's office? It's just a few steps further," Morinaga pouted. "We could then have lunch together before I set off for work!"

"You had it all planned, huh, Morinaga? Have you forgotten who's the senior here?" Souichi snatched the knapsack from his kouhai and loomed over him, taller than him because he was standing a step up.

"Ehh, heheh, no, not really…?" Morinaga grinned sheepishly, trying to sidestep Souichi and move to the door.

"You—"

"Tatsumi- san! Ah, Morinaga- san, too!"

The feminine voice rang across the courtyard and both men turned. Yuki Manami was now making her way to them, a glad smile on her face. "Wonderful—you're discharged today! Is everything all right with the baby? Was my husband of any help?"

"Of course, Yuki- san! It's all thanks to him that my Sempai and the baby are all right. Ah—why don't we go on in? Sempai is looking for the professor." Morinaga, ever quick on his feet, darted upwards and had entered the building before Souichi could say another word.

"Morinaga!" Souichi shook his fist at his wayward lover. The man could always get his way!

Manami threw him a confused glance and then shrugged her shoulders. "Come on, Tatsumi- san. Everyone's been talking about you; they'd be glad to know that you're alright now!"

"Huh…" Uncomfortable with the notion of being everyone's talking topic, Souichi sighed and then entered the air- conditioned building. Immediately, they bumped into some coursemates, who of course stopped and asked after him. It was quite shocking that everybody seemed to know him—Souichi did not even remember half the names of those who came forward to chat, though he could recognize their faces.

"Everyone's been concerned, Tatsumi- san, especially Nakanishi- san. I heard that he went to visit you?" While Morinaga hurried ahead of them, excited about seeing his Sempai's place of work, Manami updated Souichi on the happenings at school in his absence.

"Un hnn…" Souichi nodded but did not provide further information.

"I see. Well, everyone's been speculating about the perpetuator's identity but frankly, there hasn't been much insight. The professors have been keeping mum about the entire incident."

"I wonder why." Souichi was just a little sarcastic. In light of all the incidents, he was beginning to suspect even his superiors, who, as esteemed researchers, should technically be aboveboard and ethical.

Once more, Manami shot him a puzzled look but they had reached Prof. Satou's office. Morinaga scooted back to their sides and looked suitably contrite when Souichi shot him a withering glare. "Can I join in?"

"What do you think?" Souichi boinked Morinaga's head and proceeded to knock on the office door. The silly idiot!

"Just go in; we can just say that you're Tatsumi- san's brother, or something!" Manami whispered just as Souichi swung open the door.

"Tatsumi- kun. I see that you've been discharged. No problems from the incident, I gather." Professor Satou, tone dry as ever, glanced at the trio that had treaded into his office. "And why are the two of you here?"

"Err, I'll head outside, then. Apologies, Professor…" Manami pulled a face as she turned towards the door and stepped back out.

"I—I'm Sem—err, I mean, Tatsumi-san's brother! Mor—Tatsumi Tetsuhiro, at your service!" Morinaga sweated lightly as Prof. Satou subjected him to a piercing gaze.

"And…?"

"Err—err, I heard that somebody was trying to sabotage his work, so, being concerned, I've come here to find out what the matter is!" Morinaga sputtered out bravely. He was nervous but towards matters that concerned Souichi, he would not back down.

At his words, the professor stilled, as though he were an ancient tree. "If it's with regards to the nighttime incident, I can assure you that the faculty is looking into it. For the moment, we are treating this as a trespassing issue and will deal with it as s—"

"Trespassing? That bas—that man had zeroed in on my desk and my samples! Also, how can you explain my lost data and poisoned plants? It's obvious that the prowler was targeting me and my work!" Souichi took in a deep breath and tried to rein in his temper but it was damn bloody impossible!

"Yes, Prof. Satou, couldn't you look personally into this issue?" Morinaga pleaded.

"We have, and we have decided that it's a random trespassing issue, nothing more, nothing less. Also, I believe that this is not your place to speak, Tetsuhiro- kun." Prof. Satou's tone could cut ice.

"And I'm saying that it was not a simple trespassing issue!" Souichi near- shouted. He marched over to his professor's table and banged on it. "There's something fishy going on here, right beneath your nose! So do something about it! Or are you saying that you aren't willing to dig deeper, professor? What's in it for you?"

"Sempai—!" Morinaga tried to tug Souichi back but to no avail. His tone was horrified and he tried cajoling Souichi. "Don't say anything else…!"

"And why can't I? It's my research, Prof. Satou, my original data! Why the hell can't I defend it? And you—shouldn't you be doing your utmost to help? After all, you'd be Second author! Don't think that I haven't found out—you and Prof. Naoki are competing to see who has the most papers out, aren't you?" Souichi spat. He only barely felt the lurch in his abdomen, focusing instead on the older man in front of him.

"Sempai, that's enough." Morinaga sensed the dangerous currents and pulled Souichi away from the oak table and back beside him. He kept a firm hold on his elbow, refusing to budge even when Souichi tried to shake him off. The man's face was stoic but beneath his breath he whispered, "Sempai, our baby…keep it cool, I beg of you."

Throughout Souichi's tirade, the professor had been silent as a stone, expression blank, eyes dark orbs that did not give away anything. When he did finally speak, it was with frigid calmness. "If that's all you have to say, then I think that I have heard enough. With regards to your research proposal, we will discuss it when you have found your head."

"You—!" Flares of electricity surged through him. Souichi flung Morinaga's hand aside and stalked to the other side of the desk. He went right up to his professor, head- to- head, nose- to- nose. "If you think that I'm going to submit my proposal to somebody as untrustworthy as you, then you'd better resign as professor and get your brain checked out, instead. Thank you, but no thank you!"

Satou Takeru at the wise old age of fifty- four never flinched, never averted his eyes from Souichi's scorching glare. Instead, he sighed, as though a thousand burdens rested on his shoulders.

He stood up, forcing Souichi to step backwards. With delicate movements, he gestured for the two men to sit on the couch away from the desk. "That's enough from you, Tatsumi- kun. I will not have you insulting the entire faculty and I, who are working hard on this case. However, it seems that you will not be so easily placated with feeble explanations, as I had expected since knowing you."

Having been forced to sit, Souichi made to stand again but was stopped by a quiet stare from the professor. He relaxed grudgingly into the seat. Puzzlement had replaced part of his anger. "No, I won't be that easily swayed, Professor. If you are just trying to shun away from admitting your treachery..." He trailed off warningly.

Prof. Satou took out a file from a locked drawer and took out a sheet of paper. He passed it to Souichi, mouth grim. "As you have said, the night incident was not simple trespassing. It is far more than that. It is a problem that has plagued this faculty in this school since the boom in traditional and herbal medicine industry."

"Industry?" Souichi perused the sheet of paper. On it was a list of students from different years with the names of their research typed neatly in the next column. All of them had been students in his faculty and all of their research was involved with herbal medicine and their medical properties. "Wasn't the entire issue to do with dirty competition amongst the professors and students?"

"That's too simplistic a view, Tatsumi- kun. Always look at the larger picture, at the possible winners and losers. The faculty has ways to fish out those who try to steal their peers' research and we have done so successfully so far. It is when the threat is outside of school that things get much more murky and insidious.

"The paper in your hands lists the students whose works had been pilfered while still in the research stage. As they never reached the stage of publishing, Todai has not been able to report them as stolen intellectual property. Rather, the only thing that we've been able to do was to look on as the pharmaceutical industry exploited the data and earned millions, if not billions from them. All that, and our students get nothing, our university gets nothing.

"The perpetuators are always anonymous and random. We've ever caught such night prowlers red- handed but the investigations always led to a dead- end. Those people are mere commoners or homeless hooligans, all intent on earning a quick buck, all without the slightest knowledge of who is behind the entire scheme." Prof. Satou took off his rimless glasses and wiped it absently with a cloth. "Your case is no different, Tatsumi- kun. It's only the next link in a long chain of predecessors. Rather than create a mess, we'd rather label it as a simple trespassing case and investigate it from within."

Why was it beginning to feel like he had stepped into a detective novel? Souichi blew out a breath and massaged his stomach unconsciously. "Then are we just going to let this issue blow over? It's high time that Todai did something!"

Prof. Satou chuckled, the first time that Souichi had seen him done so. It was weird, hearing the stiff and pompous old man laugh but that was exactly what he did. "And who says we haven't done anything? If we had simply let matters slide, you wouldn't have seen those published articles on herbalism.

"Through years of security efforts, we have managed to save more than eighty percent of our propriety work. Though it is true that Naoki and I have a friendly competition going on, what you should be proud of is the fact that we managed to save those students' works from being pillaged! Did you think that it was so simple to work for a world- renowned university, gentlemen? When money is the motivation, the levels one would stoop to get it are unbelievable."

Souichi let the man's words stew in his mind and ruminated. Prof. Satou's explanation sounded credible and more, logical. It explained why the faculty had hushed up the night attack and also why the professors were involved in every single case of sabotaging that Manami had mentioned… "So why did Nakanishi Shin's work appear under Prof. Naoki's name? Shouldn't it have been our team's? I understand that he was ever accused of plagiarism but he had in fact been the original researcher."

Prof. Satou leaned against his desk, his arms folded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Naoki's student was the original researcher, Tatsumi- kun. Don't be swayed by just one side of the story."

"But how would you know? There wasn't any concrete evidence, was there?"

"There was. Naoki's student was a year older than Nakanishi Shin and he had already discussed the idea with us a term before Nakanishi enrolled in our programme. We did not accuse Nakanishi wrongly." Prof. Satou said unerringly. His tone had become hard.

"Huh…" Souichi paused. "Then why allow a plagiariser to stay on in the team? Aren't you the strictest of the lot?"

"Sempai, your tone—!" Morinaga smacked his forehead in exasperation but Souichi ignored him.

"…We have our reasons." Prof. Satou said cryptically. Then without warning, he took the list of victims from Souichi and slid it back into the folder. With a turn of the lock, he had secured it in a secret drawer. "Alright, that's enough chatting for the day. Now that you know what's going on, I expect you to keep mum about it. I do not want any unnecessary rumours floating about. If I should hear wind of anything, I'll be sure to come after you. Now, about your proposal. Do you want to hand it in to me today, or not?"

"…I do, but if what you have said is true, then isn't it too late? My data has already been stolen!"

"I'll expedite the grant process and then you'll have to promise me that you'll dedicate your all to the subsequent experiments. I want Todai to publish the data, not some money- hungry industrialists who have distorted the meaning of research."

Souichi caught the eye of his professor and both men held the gaze, silently assessing, each pondering the trustworthiness of the other. He could trust this man, who had earned his mettle in research, right? Finally, Souichi nodded and then took out the sheath of papers that contained his thesis. He stood up and straightened, intending to hand in his proposal.

A cringing pain roiled through his stomach. Souichi gasped and doubled over as the familiar, hot, cramp seized his womb. His knees shook. Souichi knelt down, taking in shallow breaths, his proposal slowly crumpling as he clenched into the pain.

"Sempai—Sempai, what happened?" Morinaga was beside him; Morinaga's hands were on his back. Souichi felt his presence but it did not do anything to alleviate the pains. Morinaga's baritone voice swirled around him, the thread of panic sharply apparent even as he murmured, "Sempai, is it the baby? Don't worry, I'll call the ambulance now—no, I'll carry you to the hospital now! Just wait a bit—please hold on!"

"What's going on? What's happened to him?" Prof. Satou, who did not know anything about Souichi's pregnancy, had been taken aback by the sudden collapse of his student. He, too came forward in concern.

Why were the cramps back? He had been perfectly fine the past two days... What had Dr. Yuki said, no strenuous activity? He had not strained himself, right? Surely not; surely he had not harmed his baby… Another seizure and Souichi ducked his head, trying not to moan.

"Don't lift him! If it's his internal injury from the attack then we shouldn't jar him at all! Call the ambulance—let the paramedics do the shifting!" There was a clatter; Prof. Satou had snatched up his phone and begun dialing.

Souichi began to feel dampness beneath him, a growing circle of wet that seemed to be coming from him… He glanced down, saw the dark little droplets staining his khaki trousers. Kami, no. "…Morinaga."

His partner, too, had seen them. Souichi saw the colour drain from Morinaga's face and he himself felt like the ground had suddenly given way beneath him. Morinaga began to shake his head, in disbelief, in denial. The man sat down heavily beside Souichi, his legs having given up. He had become a statue. Morinaga did not even flinch when Souichi gripped his arm in the throes of the premature, ill- omened contractions.

Prof. Satou was the only person who had not been immobilized. He flung the door open to his office and picked up Souichi's abandoned proposal. With decisive movements, he unlocked his hidden drawer and bolted it in there. The key was tucked back into his pocket. With official matters done, the man stood up spryly as the first whoop-whoop sounds of the ambulance sirens pealed through the air.

"Wait here—I'm going to bring the paramedics up!"

* * *

**To be continued.**

**a/n: Did you guys expect this? Can they save the baby?**


	10. Rock bottom

**a/n: Chapter 9. Thank you for waiting. **

* * *

**Chapter 9: Rock bottom**

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

Once more, the sirens of the ambulance, the paramedics' questions. Again, the façade of Tokyo University Hospital. For the second time, the coral walls, the antiseptic odour.

Tetsuhiro stepped off of the ambulance, a dazed man. The world was a dream and he a dream- walker as he entered the A&amp;E section. Bobbed to the left the right by the chaos, just like a cork floating in seawater, Tetsuhiro settled onto the same plastic chair from a few days ago. His briefcase sat beside him, an artefact.

Dr. Yuki appeared, steps urgent, face grim. He did a double- take when he saw Tetsuhiro and realized just who his patient was. Immediately, he wrung open the curtains that obscured Souichi from view and disappeared inside the emergency room.

This time, the wait was shorter. Tetsuhiro lifted his head blearily when a pair of black- tops appeared in front of him. Dr. Yuki. The doctor settled beside him, his carefully blank expression saying everything.

Bleeding. Unstabilised embryo. No heartbeat.

No heartbeat.

Threatened abortion could show delayed symptoms, Dr. Yuki explained. The signs could be stable, the ultrasound normal. Then there would be sudden bleeding, cramps. In their case, the embryo had been threatened by physical trauma and might have not fully stabilized prior to Souichi's discharge. As such, theirs had already been a miscarriage waiting to happen. The past two days had been nothing but an illusion of wellness.

Tetsuhiro had stopped listening long ago. Nonsense, as Sempai would say. How could their little boy's heartbeat be illusory? He had heard it himself! Th-thum-th-thum-th-thum. Fast and light, it had been the sound of a strong, healthy heart. Their little boy could not be dead. Tetsuhiro staggered up, looking around for Souichi.

He's in the ward, Dr. Yuki said. Room 104.

His shadow ran ahead of him down the corridor, stretching thin and long, a grotesque, misshapen him. Tetsuhiro had to steady himself against the walls as he passed other rooms, each holding another person's nightmare. His ears could not seem to take in any sound. He could only hear the rush of his blood, a mantra of denial.

Room one- hundred- and- four loomed ahead. Tetsuhiro regarded the closed door dazedly. Why was everything repeating itself? Why did it seem like an endless loop of torture? Had they done something to anger the gods?

Two passing nurses sent him a strange look, their carts clattering softly past as they padded towards the reception. Tetsuhiro paid them no heed. With heavy arms, he trudged forward, leaned into the door handle. The door swung open silently. Tetsuhiro breathed shakily and stepped into the space that held his lover.

The person on the bed was not Tatsumi Souichi. It was not the fiery, spunky- as- hell Sempai who would glare at him feistily and demand to be let free. It was not the Sempai who had proudly declared that he could carry his own bag, thank you very much. It was not even the Sempai who had breathed fire when facing down his own professor. No, it was just a Sempai who had been dealt with the cruelest card that fate could give.

Souichi was conscious and awake, his long tresses draped softly around his shoulders. The blanket was drawn halfway up his body, a pillow propped up between his back and the headboard. He was not wearing his glasses, the eyewear currently folded neatly on the bedside table. He was glancing out of the windows, showing Tetsuhiro a profile as blank as stone, cold as ice.

Even in his distress, Tetsuhiro scented the danger. Sempai was drowning, as surely as if he had been thrown into a raging sea. If he did not do something…struggling to push off the ponderous weight of his grief, Tetsuhiro reached out for Souichi. "Sempai."

Tetsuhiro's voice rang jarringly in the still ward. Souichi must have heard but it was a few minutes before the man finally slanted his face towards Tetsuhiro. Those beautiful, stormy gray eyes had dulled, rimmed with red. When Souichi spoke, his voice was flat, a toneless landscape devoid of colour and life.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

Such a simple, easy question. Yet, Tetsuhiro felt as though somebody had wrapped a silken white cloth around his neck and pulled hard. He could not find breath to expand his lungs, let alone answer the harshest question that a parent had to face. "…Yes."

"Dr. Yuki confirmed that?"

Tetsuhiro nodded somberly. "Yes."

"There was blood, and contractions. They couldn't stop them."

"…I know. You were in so much pain, Sempai."

"I caused it, didn't I?"

Tetsuhiro jerked forward, a pantomime suddenly brought to life. "No! Sempai, it's not like that—! Dr. Yuki said—"

"I requested for an early discharge. I didn't stay in bed. I even went to the university and had a fucking fight with the professor. Woah, I'm a goddamned bastard. Look what has happened." The same emotionless tone. Every part of Souichi was preternaturally still, except for his fists. They were clenched so convulsively that his knuckles had turned bone- white.

With a violent snatch, Tetsuhiro had taken ahold of Souichi's wrist. "Sempai, Dr. Yuki said that it was an imminent miscarriage. It was not your fault! If it's anyone's, it's that darned attacker! He is the one to blame! It's not us—it's not you!"

When Souichi merely tried to shrug off his grip, twisting his arm in an unrelenting manner, his eyes terribly blank, Tetsuhiro snapped. "Stop it, Sempai! Claiming guilt would not bring him back! Nothing ever would!"

Souichi's eyes widened, a look of disbelief, of betrayal. Then his lip began to tremble. Before Tetsuhiro could retract his words and apologise, twin streaks of tears had escaped, tracking salty paths down Souichi's cheek, across his nose ridge and into his slackened mouth. His entire body slumped, as though even his skeleton had lost the will to support him.

He had uttered something irretrievable. Tetsuhiro scrambled to take his words back, his admonishment. "I'm sorry, Sempai. I'm sorry. I want to bring him back, too—he's ours…he's mine. How could I not want him back? But I can't bear to see you blame yourself. Sempai, please…" Tetsuhiro folded his broken lover into a protective embrace. Sempai felt so frail and fragile, diminished by the cancer of grief.

Cataclysmic trembles shook their bodies. Cracks ran jagged lines through them. There was not enough gold in the world to solder these fissures of hurt. On the single cot that held only two of them and not three, they faced the loss together, mourning for a life that had been needlessly stolen away.

* * *

Matsuda- san called on Saturday morning, twenty- one hours and fifty- three minutes since they understood how it felt to lose a child. Her voice was at once familiar and heartbreakingly cheerful.

_"Tetsuhiro- kun? This is Matsuda- san. I called Sou- kun yesterday but he did not pick up the calls. Is everything alright?"_

Tetsuhiro fumbled with his cell as he tried to balance Emi's diaper bag. He had gone home earlier to collect the necessities for a few more days of hospital stay. Emi was present as well, though she was currently with Dr. Yuki. At Matsuda- san's question, Tetsuhiro smiled bitterly. If only everything were. "Morning, Matsuda- san. Sempai, he…he is fine now. Ah, and how have you been? And Kanako- chan?"

_"That's good. I'm happy to hear that! Ah, regarding the wedding, Kanako- chan and I would be coming down next Friday night to Tokyo. It must be troublesome, having us as your guests."_

Matsuda- san's words were like bombs, little black atomic explosions that finally managed to pierce the bubble of fuzziness that Tetsuhiro had been existing in since the previous day. They had been planning to get married. Sempai had finally agreed to be his. This period had been supposed to be the happiest in his life.

"_Tetsuhiro- kun?"_ Matsuda- san still sounded cheerful, though a hint of worry had begun to creep over her tone.

"Ah—no, sorry, I was momentarily distracted." Tetsuhiro undulated his tone and somehow managed to create an imitation of his chirpy side. "Please, it'd never be a bother to have you two. You're Sempai's family, which makes you important to me, as well."

_"Then, I'll see you two on Friday. We'll be bringing wedding gifts!"_

"A-ah, you don't have to!"

_"Nonsense. As the elder, it is my duty to provide for Sou- kun. His parents would want this for him, too. Souji has already left word regarding that."_

"Then…we will graciously and happily accept. Thank you, Matsuda- san."

_"No need for such courtesy. We are going to be family soon, so you'll become my nephew, too. I wish for happiness for you both, and the family that you have created."_

Tetsuhiro was nodding, his mouth twisted upwards in a watery smile. He rubbed the back of his palm against his eyes and answered, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

When he hung up, his heart was heavy. They had never gotten the chance to share the news of the second baby with their aunt and the rest of the family before misfortune had descended. Tetsuhiro had initially planned to break the news on their wedding day and make it a doubly joyous event. Hah.

Tetsuhiro rounded the corner and had just reached the corridor leading to Souichi's ward when his cell rang again. He hurried to the cellphone zone and answered it, feeling withered, wrung out, a dried twig. "…Morinaga speaking."

_"Is this Morinaga Tetsuhiro? Good morning, I'm calling from Tiffany &amp; Co, Ginza. Sir, this is to inform you that the rings that you ordered have arrived and are ready for collection."_

All he wanted was to mourn but right now and yet the tidings of joy and auspiciousness were pouring in, all at the right time, at the wrong time. Tetsuhiro felt himself sinking into a waiting chair. "…Yes, I'll be down to collect it. Next week, yes. Thank you."

_"Thank you for patronizing us. We are delighted to be a part of your joyous union!"_

Tetsuhiro hung up and stared at the cell in his hand. Without warning, he threw it against the opposite wall. The sleek gadget flew up in the air, somersaulting like an expertly- swung baton before landing with a thud on the linoleum. It lay unbroken, for he had not thrown it with much strength but darn it, would it just stop? It only made the knife of grief twist ever deeper into his gut.

It was only ten minutes later that Tetsuhiro collected himself. He got to his feet and picked up his beleaguered cell. Another few steps and he had reached Souichi's ward. He pushed the door open softly and entered.

The ward was gloomy, heavy curtains keeping out the summery morning. Souichi was sitting up, a still figure that did not stir when Tetsuhiro entered, save for a slight turn of his head. It was possible that the man had stayed in the same position the entire night. The bloodshot condition of Souichi's eyes told Tetsuhiro that much.

Except for that, nothing on the outside indicated the miscarriage. They could have been at home, save for the fact that Dr. Yuki had insisted on a full set of after- tests that would last for a few days. It was clear that he was worried about them and equally obvious that now was the chance to observe the effects of miscarriage on a male body.

"Sempai, good morning."

Souichi made faint grunts of acknowledgement when Tetsuhiro sat beside him and peppered him with perfunctory questions. He also did not touch the bowl of _zousui_ that Tetsuhiro had poured out from a thermos flask. The depth of loss was not something that Souichi could fathom and things that he could not comprehend, he faced them alone, in silence. Such was the case now, even though Tetsuhiro shared the same grief, even though he was obviously reaching out to him.

After several flailing attempts at conversation, Tetsuhiro was at his wits' end. He himself could feel the sharp edges of pain, the tsunami of emotion that pushed insistently at the peripherals of his heart. Despite that, seeing his lover blame himself so transparently for the miscarriage was even more devastating. He could not, would not lose Sempai, too.

With that conviction in mind, Tetsuhiro took a deep breath and fortified his wall of self- control. There was one last hope, one more hook that would reel Souichi back from the land of the dismal, where living beings eventually faded into nothingness and become one with the swirling sands of hopelessness. "Sempai, Emi- chan's here, too, though she's with Dr. Yuki now. He said that he would give her a routine check- up, free of charge. Isn't that great? She'll be back in just a few minutes."

As he had hoped, Souichi's ochre eyes focused and a flare of affection lit them up. He turned to look fully at Tetsuhiro and asked, "Did you bring her lunch? The pureed apples and carrots?"

"Of course. Look, they're here." Tetsuhiro pointed to the little canister beside Souichi's untouched porridge. "She seems to have grown even plumper, you know. She loves fruits! Ah—why don't you eat your lunch first, then feed Emi hers later?"

"I don't feel like eating." Souichi pressed his lips together, brows furrowing. He seemed to retreat into his shell again, the shutters coming down over his eyes.

"Eat up, or else you won't have strength to carry Emi- chan later," Tetsuhiro chided gently. He brought the bowl over, praying that his husband would take it and come back to them.

His insistence must have touched a chord, for Souichi narrowed his eyes at Tetsuhiro, a weak but definite version of his signature glare. It should not have gladdened him, but it did. He would take any sign of life, including anger.

Finally, finally, the long- haired man took the porridge, long fingers brushing against Tetsuhiro's during the exchange. He stirred the congee and observed, "It's cabbage and chicken, huh."

"Yes. I know that you like it. Want me to feed you?" Tetsuhiro teased. His heart was doing little stutters of relief. Sitting down beside the bed, he was further rewarded by Souichi's scowl and a bop on the head.

"Idiot. I'm not an invalid." Souichi finally lifted the spoon and ate a bite of the food. It was toasty warm and tasty. It was also infused fully with Tetsuhiro's affection. The porridge slid easily down his throat. Souichi ate more, more, eyes reddening as it warmed his stomach and touched his soul. "…It's delicious."

"That's good to hear…eat more, Sempai. There's plenty more where that came from," Tetsuhiro said softly. He touched Souichi lightly. If there were additional drops of saltiness that seasoned the congee, neither man commented on them.

There came a light knock on the door a few minutes later. The two men looked up as Dr. Yuki entered. Emi was cradled in his arm, wearing a pale pink linen, sleeveless dress. She saw her parents and immediately began to reach for them, her rosebud lips opening in a chuckle.

"Da—!"

"Sempai, she's asking for you!" Tetsuhiro exclaimed.

"Give her to me." Souichi immediately set down his half- eaten bowl of food and raised his hands. The posture stank a little of desperation, of beseechingness. Dr. Yuki gladly passed Emi to him and Souichi brought her close, relaxing. He kissed Emi's head, her lips. A smile finally dawned on his face, the long- awaited sun brightening the sallow landscape of his countenance. "Hello, sweetheart. Were you a good girl when Daddy was gone?"

"Daaa—!" Emi's fat arms swung around as Souichi lifted her and snuggled her tummy. She let out pealing notes of mirth as he did so, obviously pleased with the attention. Souichi then brought her down to face level again and kissed her cheek. Emi smiled, a chubby palm resting on his nose.

"Shall I open the curtains a little, Sempai?" At Souichi's distracted nod, Tetsuhiro got up and completed the deed. Warm, bright light instantly chased the shadows away, bathing the ward, and his loved ones, in gentle sunniness. Tetsuhiro joined his family and hugged them tightly, wordlessly grateful for their daughter.

Dr. Yuki stood by the end of the bed and observed the family trio unobtrusively. He had arranged his busy schedule so that he could spend more time with the male couple, not only because they were a unique case but also because they had just suffered a loss that no parent ever should.

Yuki Kenji waited until Souichi had stopped playing with Emi before speaking up. It was difficult, getting the words out, even if it was an important summary of Tatsumi- kun's condition after the miscarriage. Despite having had years to hone his bedside skill, he had discovered that there would never be any way to circumvent the cruel reality of a baby's death. "Tatsumi- kun."

"Yea." Souichi had started to feed Emi her pureed food. He did not bother to look up at the doctor. From his perspective, the hospital and its staff had already lost its usefulness and meaning. With his attention on Emi, he spooned up a mouthful of pureed carrot and urged Emi to open up.

Dr. Yuki took a deep breath and readjusted his tone. He spoke again, quieter, somehow contrite. At times like this, he lamented the limitations of medicine. "The initial tests show that there's been no ill- effects on your body. There has also been no damage done to the uterine lining or other parts of the internal reproductive system." Dr. Yuki gave only the bare skeleton of the affairs, knowing that no amount of silver linings could compensate. The blanched countenances of his patients had told him as much. "…And lastly, please let me express my condolences for the baby."

Several beats of silence. Souichi's hand jolted and some carrot paste fell on his hospital gown. Tetsuhiro stoically wiped it away with a napkin. The parents continued to feed Emi, the little girl's smacking of lips the only sound of life in the room.

"Excuse me." A nurse had entered, bringing in a tray of needles and vials. She passed the instruments to Dr. Yuki, whose discomfit and quiet despair had her raising her eyebrows.

"Tatsumi- san, Morinaga- san, we'll have to take some blood samples for the duration of your stay. This is standard procedure and is another layer of assurance that there are no after- effects."

Grunts of acquiescence. Tetsuhiro carried Emi as the nurse, using a fine needle, extracted Souichi's blood. He watched the deep- red liquid drip into the vials and turned away. It reminded him too much of the stains that he had seen yesterday.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Have a good rest. I'll be back in the afternoon and evening." Dr. Yuki exited the ward with the nurse. He sighed deeply, as wretched as a doctor could feel when his patient dies on his watch. Souichi's and Tetsuhiro's reactions had been expected and worthy of sympathy but it did not make the situation any less painful, or real. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly and took out his cell. In such times, the only pillar he could lean on was his wife.

"Dr. Yuki, I have yesterday's blood test results for Tatsumi Souichi. Do you wish to look at them?" The nurse who had been in the ward with him piped up and jarred the young doctor from his gloomy thoughts. She held out a brown folder expectantly.

"Thank you. I'll take a look at it in my office."

"Sure! I'll bring the new samples to the lab, then." The nurse bowed. "Doctor, do take care. It's not their, or your fault." So saying, she went on to do her work, heels clicking against the linoleum.

Yuki Kenji slid his cell back into his pocket, took a heartening breath. That a nurse should comfort him meant that his bedside manner had been non- existent earlier. Determined not to slip again, he opened the folder and began to read. His sharp eyes scanned the lines detailing the results, noting normal levels for all the indicators. Everything seemed regular, except for the pregnancy hormone levels.

The human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone that is produced during pregnancy. It is produced by cells that form the placenta and nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and attached to the uterine wall. In a non- pregnant individual, the levels are usually less than 5 mIU/ml, whereas a pregnant individual would show varying levels of the hCG hormone from as low as 18 mIU/ml to as high as 288000 mIU/ml.

300 mIU/ml. The quantitative amount of hCG in Souichi's case file was surprisingly high, given the fact that he had miscarried yesterday. Dr. Yuki pursed his lips. The ultrasound yesterday had not detected any heartbeat, faint or otherwise. Tatsumi- san had also bled excessively and suffered from actual contractions. The hCG levels, though high, could be due to the fact that the body had not adjusted to the new state of non- pregnancy at the time of blood sampling. Besides, hCG levels were notoriously known to be misleading and were not a stable indicator for pregnancies as the numbers fluctuated too much between individuals.

Still, to be sure, he would monitor the hCG levels for Tatsumi- san for the next few days. Male pregnancy was still a complete mystery. It would not be surprising if the usual standards did not apply.

* * *

Deep night. Saturday had given way to Sunday under the watchful eyes of lady moon. She cast her cold, milky light into the ward. Her rays were fluid, a melted version of herself spilling on the bed. A figure sat upright, his long tresses as luminescent as the stars that accompanied her.

Tetsuhiro opened his eyes, his head resting against a small pillow that he had propped against the two- seater couch in the ward. The room was completely silent. It was not a sound that had awoken him. Rather, it was an itch in his heart, a painful instinct that had him turning towards the man still as stone on the bed.

There were no tears on Souichi's cheeks when Tetsuhiro glided to him. There was just the moon's kiss. His hands when Tetsuhiro picked them up were as colourless as the night sun, equally cold. Quietly, he sat with Souichi until it was dawn.

There were dried tear tracks now; Souichi's eyes were closed in exhaustion. His body had not recovered from the ordeal. Tetsuhiro eased him downwards, cupped his head gently as it touched the cool pillow. His thumb he used to wipe the crusted sorrow, his lips he used to kiss a prayer on the forehead.

From the little cot in the corner, untouched by the moonlight, Emi stirred. Tesuhiro walked to her, saw her chubby little face lit up by a beatific smile. She waved her arms at him, ordering a hug. He gave it to her gladly, soaking in her warmth that was pure and untainted by the heartless cold light.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	11. Emi- chan's diaries: Entry 6

**Emi- chan's diaries: Entry 6**

29 August, Saturday

Weather: Summer

Tatsumi Emi spent the first day of her fifth month in hospital.

The baby nestled contentedly in her Daddy's arms and she opened her mouth willingly to the spoonful of orange goo that was being fed to her. Most of it ended up on her bib and smeared around her lips. She licked clumsily at what was left in her mouth, enjoying the tangy sweetness of the food.

Her Ba- ba's voice had surrounded her but it disappeared when a jarring ring tone sounded. Emi stopped chewing and glanced around for him.

"Emi, finish your food."

Ah, her Da- da. Soothed, Emi smiled up at the familiar face looking down at her. Obediently, she swallowed her food and then took in another spoonful of carrot.

"Good girl, Emi."

The endearment was also a recognizable phrase. The baby gurgled, pleased. Then she felt damp drops on her cheek. It felt foreign. The baby batted at her face, trying to get at them. Another droplet landed. Bewildered, she glanced anxiously at her Da- da. In her eyes, his face suddenly seemed strange, scary. "Hnn…hnnn…"

"Shh, everything's okay, Emi. Come, let Daddy finish feeding you."

Emi stopped fretting, because her Da- da was speaking but mostly because nothing wet had dropped on her face anymore. She felt herself being shifted as Souichi stretched to take something, then a slightly rocky movement. Subsequently, another spoonful of pureed vegetable touched the baby's mouth, the plastic lip trembling ever so slightly against her mouth.

Emi soon finished her food. When Tetsuhiro returned, she was transferred and burped by him. Sated, lulled by her fathers' presence, she closed her eyes and slept.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	12. Ascending the abyss

**Chapter 10: Ascending the abyss**

**xxx Souichi xxx**

How absurd it is, to open your eyes to a new day.

Souichi blinked awake, his mind awakening slowly behind. He was lying in bed, the pillow soft against his head, the cotton quilt pulled up to his shoulders. The pale hue of dawn had just started peeking through the window blinds. For a disoriented moment, he wondered why he had cried in his sleep.

Ah, it was the last day of his hospitalization. Reality seeped in, as grey as the dawn. Souichi stared unseeingly at the clock on the wall. Time swept the living mercilessly forward.

Snoring rose gently by his bedside and momentarily jolted Souichi from a fugue of depression. Morinaga was slouched at his bedside, his head on his arm as he dozed fitfully in the hard, plastic chair. The man's pillow and quilt lay abandoned on the couch at the far wall.

The blue- black hair was soft to his touch, thick and unruly. Souichi let his fingers dance down Morinaga's face, rest lightly on his sleep- warmed cheek. Unlike their baby, Morinaga could be with him.

Morinaga's head lolled forward in deep slumber and he snorted in his sleep, as though protesting. Souichi's chuckle felt rusty in his throat but laugh he did. Kami, he had needed that. He felt as though he had just risen from murky waters. It was the first time in days that he recalled any emotion other than hopelessness. Souichi pulled himself up and this time he focused on Morinaga's countenance, almost foreign.

A mass of dark stubble, lines creased into pale skin. In the pale light, Morinaga's energy level seemed non- existent. Vaguely, Souichi remembered being hugged, being tucked into bed. The long- haired man clenched his jaw. He had never noticed Morinaga's condition, until now.

Quietly, Souichi rested his cheek against the sleeping man's for a good minute. Eyes closed, he let their hearts synchronise. The tumult within him slowly quelled down. "Sorry…" he breathed out, the all- too- familiar wave of sourness flooding his chest and nasal passages.

Thankfully, the younger man remained sleeping, unaware of his gesture. Souichi withdrew from Morinaga's side and stepped down from the bed. From his backpack he took out his laptop and papers. After today's discharge, life as he had known it would have to continue. If that were so, then he would make sure that his boy had justice.

The sourness in his chest suddenly plummeted downwards, causing his stomach to churn. Acid rose into his mouth, bringing with it the acrid taste of vomit. Souichi staggered to the bathroom. He had barely hunched over the toilet bowl before his stomach upturned and emptied its paltry contents.

With trembling fingers, Souichi managed to pull the flush. The sudden attack of nausea had left him dizzy and his mind swirled like the flourinated water swishing the sides of the porcelain bowl. Was it an aftereffect from the miscarrying? Or just general malady? He stayed still for a moment, willing the giddiness to dissipate before he found his feet. When the nausea finally subsided, Souichi rinsed and brushed his teeth. He exited the bathroom, only to walk right into Morinaga.

"Woah—Sempai, you're up early today. I heard the flush…" Morinaga caught Souichi and steadied him. The man had obviously woken up in a hurry, a red welt on his face from where he had lain on his arm. He saw Souichi and his eyes widened at his pallor. "Is everything okay? Your face—"

"I'm fine." If he told Morinaga about the vomiting, the man would probably stick to him like a second shadow and refuse to budge. He glanced at Morinaga's arms, which were still around him. "You can let go of me now, you know."

"I don't want to." Morinaga was stubborn. He studied Souichi's eyes carefully and his ever- present worry lessened somewhat when he saw the alertness in them. "You seem better today, Sempai."

Souichi nodded quietly. Unlike Morinaga, he had only been involved in himself, turned a blind eye to his anguish. Even now, when the man himself was clearly the worse for wear, Morinaga was focused only on him. Damnit. He was not the only one who had lost a child.

Without a word, he pulled Morinaga to the couch and forced the man to lie down. Morinaga protested, confused, but Souichi merely shushed him. He pulled the quilt over Morinaga's lanky frame and tucked him in. There was still a few hours before he would be discharged, plenty of time for him to get some rest.

"Sempai…? What are you doing?"

"Shush. You need rest. Sleep. I'll wake you up when it's eleven." When Morinaga persisted in speaking, Souichi lost his patience and pressed a kiss to his lips. When he lifted his head, Morinaga continued to lie prone, his face an 'O' of amazement.

"S-sempai…"

"S-stop talking and sleep! I'm not the only one who didn't sleep at night, and also not the only one who needs to be taken care of." This was the closest that he would come to admitting his concern, to acknowledge the miscarriage. Souichi ruffled Morinaga's hair, made to move off. Strong fingers took hold of his wrist. When Souichi turned to look at his lover, he saw that his gesture had been understood.

"I love you, Sempai." Morinaga smiled serenely and squeezed Souichi's hand tightly. "I'll always be here for you."

Souichi wiped his eyes brusquely, nodded. Morinaga beamed and then retracted his hand. He nestled into the pillow and within minutes, his frame had relaxed into the posture of sleep.

While Morinaga slept, Souichi spent his time looking after their daughter and catching up on his work. Wanting Emi to be near, he had strapped her to his chest as he bent over the laptop, going through the slew of mail that had been sent in that period of time. Emi's warmth, like her Papa's, comforted him in the same way. She was a calm baby, content to lie against him quietly. Occasionally, she would burble some conversation. Souichi would smile and reply, his hand petting her back as he did so.

There was an official email from the board of grants, informing him that they had received the proposal for his research on Cnidium officinale. Souichi pursed his lips, pondered. Prof. Satou had kept to his promise and submitted his work under his name. That was all well and good. However, if what the professor had said was true, then it meant that the culprit, probably dissatisfied by the preliminary data that he had stolen, would be waiting for Souichi to start on actual research on the herb. Once concreter information was available, he would steal it.

Fuck. Had they walked right into the trap that the bastard had laid? Souichi cursed and belatedly covered Emi's ears after doing so. Still, in the world of university research, it was publish or die. Furthermore, he sincerely believed that Cnidium officinale would benefit the masses if its medicinal properties could be researched on and then harnessed properly. Thwarting one bastard was insufficient reason to give up on his work.

With that said, the next step was prevention. Souichi frowned in concentration, then started to scan the web. He spent the next half an hour researching on reliable stalls in Akihabara. In this age of technology, protection and prevention could be done electronically.

His silver cell phone vibrated just as he had shortlisted some stores to visit later. Souichi picked up the mobile, only recently charged. He noticed the myriad missed calls from Matsuda- san, messages from Kanako. Seeing their insistent communication, a reminder began to probe at Souichi's mind, something that he had forgotten…

Ah…Souichi immediately dialed his aunt's number, pressed the mobile to his ear. Their wedding. "Matsuda- san? Good morning. Yes, some…things cropped up recently and I forgot to charge my mobile…yes…thank you…"

When he hung up, Souichi rubbed his face wearily. His wedding was in two days, and his family was coming to visit in one. It was the plan that they had set in motion before knowing about the pregnancy, and then the miscarriage. Souichi shut his laptop, work done for the moment. He burrowed against Emi's soft cheek and tried to clear his head. Kami.

"Abur goo…mgiir da." Emi's chubby legs kicked at his sides lightly. Souichi lifted his head and gazed affectionately at his daughter. Her rosy cheeks were plump, hanging down like a little Buddha. She was bouncing happily in her swaddle in rhythm to Souichi's petting. "Da!"

"Shh, Papa's sleeping."

"No, I'm not."

Souichi nearly fell out of the bed in shock. He turned around and, sure enough, Morinaga was behind him, looking more rested than before. He chuckled at Souichi's startled expression and then laughed out loud when he narrowed a glare at him. "Sempai, I heard you on the phone. That was Matsuda- san, right?"

"You…didn't I tell you to rest? There's still an hour to go!"

"Mhmm, but I do feel rested, Sempai. Don't worry about me," Morinaga said softly. He sat beside Souichi on the bed and fluffed Emi's thick hair. "Did she mention about…?"

"Yes. She called you a few days ago, right?" Souichi chanced a glance at his lover, noted the same conflict clouding Morinaga's bottle- green eyes.

"Yeah… I didn't tell her about this…" Morinaga sighed, his large palm joining Souichi's against Emi's diapered bottom. "But…I really want to go through with our wedding, Sempai. Is it very callous of me to want that, at this time?"

He was asking for permission. Souichi fell silent and Morinaga did the same, respecting his decision. It was bitter irony to hold an auspicious event right after their misfortune. It made it seem as though their second baby had been insignificant, a figment of a short, sweet dream. They had barely started grieving for him and now were thinking of moving on to the next chapter of their lives.

Furthermore, there was the issue of his aunt and sister. Souichi had also not revealed the fact that he was currently in hospital to Matsuda- san. However, it did not sit right with him to withhold the truth from her, especially since she had always been like a mother figure to the Tatsumi siblings.

And then there was the last issue. The truth was, he wanted to…

"Sempai, would you still want to marry me? Even though…even though I couldn't protect you and the baby?" A hitch in Morinaga's breathing. The man was trembling; it was his second proposal. His expression was an immiscible combination of hope and apprehension.

Souichi glanced at their ring- less fingers, remembered the surge of envy that had drowned him when he saw Tomoe and Kurokawa's gold bands. The truth was, he wanted it—everything. The ring, the family. If he had to lose those on top of the baby as well…Souichi shunned from the thought. He shook his head, batting it away. Kami, he was really in deep.

"You don't want to…" Morinaga breathed out quietly. He had seen Souichi's head shake and mistaken its meaning. The man withdrew his hand, stood up. He turned away from Souichi, suddenly frantic. "I, uh, I need to go get some fresh air—"

"My answer is 'yes', baka!"

Morinaga halted in his step, his fists clenched in balls of control. He slowly turned to face Souichi, unable to hide the tears that had dripped down in wet spots on his shirt. "R-really?"

"Yes! Now, come back here." Souichi slapped the space beside him, making sure to scowl at Morinaga even though his heart was full to bursting.

Morinaga did not need telling twice. In one large bound, he had engulfed Souichi in a fervent embrace, the suffocating grief that he had tried to bear by himself released in an unstoppable torrent.

Souichi soothed Morinaga's hair and gently kissed his neck. As best as he could, he bundled the lanky man into his lap and hugged him back as fiercely.

* * *

Dr. Yuki was seated at his desk when Souichi and Morinaga knocked and entered the office. It looked like the interiors of any clinic, except that the ultrasounds were significantly more sophisticated and there were contraction- frequency machines stowed by the corner. The men took a seat and prepared to be debriefed.

The young doctor nodded benignly at them, not mentioning the obvious coolness in the men's attitude. He had experienced such rejection from past patients, when inevitable abortion had occurred. That he had not been able to prevent his male patients' baby from the same fate made him more determined to hone his medical knowledge.

"Tatsumi- san, Morinaga- san, good morning. These are copies of the hospitalization forms, as well as the results of the scans and blood tests that we carried out in the duration of your stay. Everything seems normal, which is a good sign." So saying, he pushed the manila folder, so much like the one he had passed to them a few days ago, over the table.

"Thanks." Souichi took it without comment. There would be no ultra- scan photo within the file anymore, or recipes for a healthy pregnancy.

Morinaga had apparently also realized the irony. His eyes moved everywhere except on the brown folder, expression somber and gray.

Dr. Yuki sighed inwardly. "There is only a slight problem with your hormonal levels. The amounts of the pregnancy hormone, as well as progesterone and estrogen, are still maintained at a high level, which is incongruous. However, I have had patients with the same issue in the past, and the levels soon subsided without any complications. Nonetheless, I recommend a follow- up within the next two months, sooner if you feel discomfort and continued nausea."

"The nausea's due to the hormones?" Souichi asked, reminded of that morning's episode in the bathroom.

"Yes. Estrogen has been thought to be a contributing factor to nausea. However, once the body has adjusted and stops producing excessive hormones, the symptom should ease."

"That's good to know. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Dr. Yuki moved his mouth, as though he were chewing on what to say. Then, "Take good care, gentlemen."

The three men stood up, bowed stiffly in farewell. There was the scraping of chairs; Emi was secured more tightly in her swaddle. Without a backward glance, the little family left the hospital, bringing the presence of another being with them.

* * *

"To Akihabara, please."

Morinaga looked incredulously at Souichi as the cab they were in pulled away from the hospital and joined with the traffic on the main road.

"Sempai…? Why're we going to Akihabara?"

"There're things I want to buy," Souichi said as he gestured to his backpack, where his laptop was stowed. "Pinhole camera, encrypter—if the culprit is after my data, I'll be damned if I let him do so that easily."

"Sounds wise, but aren't you tired?" Morinaga glanced concernedly at Souichi's peaked complexion.

"'M fine," Souichi grunted. The cab halted at a traffic junction, the jerkiness of the brakes causing him to grimace. Luckily, Akihabara was not far away.

Morinaga rummaged in his pockets and took out a packet of preserved plums. He tapped Souichi, passed him the bag. "Here, for your upset stomach, Sempai."

He had obviously not been discreet enough. Souichi muttered thanks and quickly popped a plum into his mouth. The tartness calmed his stomach.

Morinaga hid a smile and propped Emi up so that she could see the passing scenery, keeping up small talk with Souichi now and then. They were trying to regain their footing, recover a semblance of normalcy.

The trip to Akihabara was quick if uneventful. It was not difficult to find stores that specialized in the arena of surveillance and data protection. By the time they reached home, the summer afternoon was still going strong. Souichi immediately unboxed his purchases and installed them on his laptop. Now, there were multiple electronic layers of protection for his data. The software that he had installed not only encrypted information but could also track transactions that had been done on his laptop. Once the installation was done, he took out his new spy camera, which was inbuilt into a real, functional USB flash drive. The resolution and audio quality were as superb as promised. It captured his face and the surrounding area of up to fifty feet in flawless detail.

Emi's face loomed large on the screen when Souichi looked up. The baby tried to bat at her image but Morinaga lifted her away in time. The man had wisely stayed away when Souichi had been equipping his laptop but now came close again. "Everything all set up, Sempai?"

"Yes. I have no doubt that the bastard will try again, seeing as I'll be getting more useful data once the grant is approved," Souichi muttered. He typed a few more keys and completed the installation of the encrypting software. "Let's see him try."

Morinaga nodded somberly, though a furrow of worry flitted across his face at Souichi's flinty expression. "Regarding the herb research, my company is going to launch a discussion with Todai to get exclusive rights to any data pertaining to it. Saga- san mentioned it in a meeting yesterday. I might be put in charge of the technical aspects of making the herb commercially available."

At the surprising but good news, Souichi placed his full attention on his partner. "That's a damned good opportunity, Morinaga. Make full use of it."

"I know! However, that also means that I'll get the chance to travel to Todai to 'monitor' any and all experiments regarding Cnidium officinale, Sempai. We'll be work partners again!" Morinaga was positively beaming, his entire being alight at the prospect of spending work time with Souichi.

"Don't go off- tangent, idiot. This is work we're talking about! If you bungle it up…" Souichi trailed off threateningly and was only satisfied when the younger man nodded sheepishly. "In any case, it's going to be different this time round. You won't be working as my assistant anymore but as an associate. So make sure you live up to the part instead of focusing on all the wrong things!"

"That'd make me Sempai's equal…" Morinaga murmured. The idea was clearly foreign to him, for he began to grin like an idiot. "I can finally support you with my own abilities!"

"Like I said before, I don't need you to support me!" Souichi's manly pride bristled. If he managed to clinch the grant and a postgraduate position, his allowance would go up rather significantly. "Just support Emi and the baby will do!"

There was a crack of silence following Souichi's words. The veil of normalcy wavered. Morinaga forced a smile and said, "I'd definitely provide for our children, Sempai, no matter how many we have."

Despite the efforts, the respite had already collapsed. Souichi glanced at his laptop, fitted with all the latest technology and painful reminders. He shut it down, suddenly tired. The brightness of their living room could not seem to soothe his spirits, as it normally would. Without a word, he stood up.

"Sempai?" Morinaga's voice cracked a little.

"I'm going upstairs to rest." Souichi was already padding towards the stairs. He did not want anyone near him now. Darkness and the comfort of his quilt; he sought a quiet place to fall apart.

"…Don't leave me alone here. Sempai." Morinaga's voice was directly behind him, plaintive, abandoned. Souichi's breath hitched when he felt the man's warmth encircle him in a plea. "…Please."

Souichi sagged against Morinaga, his own arms encircling the man's. Their child. He wanted him back.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	13. Union

**a/n: after a while, i present: Chapter 11.**

**Chapter 11: Union**

* * *

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

Saturday morning, the day of their wedding, arrived in a warm ray of sunlight. The summer mugginess was still slumbering but outside, puffy- chested finches and chirpy sparrows were already busily flitting about looking for morsels of breakfast.

In the Tatsumi- Morinaga household, the master bedroom was still swathed in gloom. A fan whirred overhead and beside the king- sized bed, numerals lit up in neon displayed the time as 07:00. Suddenly, the jarring alarm broke the tranquility of the morning. One of the figures beneath the sheets stirred; a long arm reached out sleepily to silence the rousing ringtone.

Tetsuhiro snuggled in bed with Souichi a moment more before he stretched and sat up slowly. The cotton sheets rustled invitingly against his skin. Hair mussed, eyes still crusted with sleep, Tetsuhiro wondered dazedly why he had set such an early alarm.

Ahh! The importance of that day suddenly pierced through his daze and made him bolt out from bed, suddenly energized. It was the day! The day that he had been waiting his whole life for! Without preamble, he freshened up and headed downstairs to do one last round of cleaning up before Sempai's family and his brother, Kunihiro, arrived.

Tetsuhiro's nervous excitement cooled when he entered the little balcony tucked away at the right end of the apartment. Softly, he padded towards the ledge. On it was perched the Cnidium officinale herb pot that Souichi had given him a few weeks ago, as well as a little soft toy. Tetsuhiro lined his palms together and closed his eyes. The morning light felt warm on his lids, and his cheeks. "Good morning, my little one."

Tetsuhiro had placed the toy at the balcony two nights ago. He had been in Emi's nursery and the sight of Eyore, the huge teddy bear and their kingdom of soft toys had suddenly brought him to his knees. Their second child had left the world so suddenly and brought nothing with him.

With that, Tetsuhiro had picked out the softest, sweetest stuffed rabbit from the nursery and then went out to the balcony to air out his suffocating thoughts. He had wept, clutching the rabbit close to him. Then he had looked up. Looked up and beheld a galaxy of stars, twinkling diamonds shining uncharacteristically bright in the Tokyo sky. Tetsuhiro had been mesmerized. They say that children become stars when they die. He did not know which star their child had become. But dear Kami, if those sweet departed souls indeed watched over the living world from high above, then please, let their child see his toy and understand that he would always occupy a place in their hearts.

Sempai had glimpsed the rabbit sitting on the ledge and understood its significance instinctively. From that night on, the balcony had become an altar of sorts, one where both parents would retreat to when the longing got too unbearable. An altar is not only for those who have gone but also for those who live on.

Coffee was brewing by the time Souichi came downstairs, all tousled and sleepy in his pajamas. Tetsuhiro noticed the grimace that the long- haired man made immediately when the aroma of roasted beans hit him. After greeting him, he ushered Souichi to the living room, where breakfast was already laid out. A steaming cup of ginger tea sat waiting to soothe an upset stomach. "Morning, Sempai."

"Un, morning." Not one to chit- chat, especially in the morning, Souichi nodded his greeting before sitting down on the sofa to partake of breakfast. Tetsuhiro, however, was too excited to eat and so flitted around the room, cleaning up and tidying an already spotless house. As he chewed on rice and salmon, Souichi's eyes followed Tetsuhiro's trajectory. A wry expression softened his features and he did not yell at the younger man for being so flighty first thing in the morning, as he usually would have done.

A clatter alerted Tetsuhiro and he whipped around. Sempai was pale again, and he was taking deep breaths, one hand rubbing his chest as though to clear it of stuffiness.

"Sempai! Are you okay?" When Souichi stood up and waved him away impatiently, Tetsuhiro spotted two dark droplets on the sofa fabric. The fear triggered by their recent miscarriage came rushing back. Swiftly, he guided Souichi to the bathroom, where the man retched and basically regurgitated his recently- ingested breakfast.

It had been like this since returning from the hospital. Spotting, nausea. Dr. Yuki had sounded extremely perplexed when Tetsuhiro had called in a panic two days ago but had reassured them that Souichi's body needed to readjust itself to return to its non- pregnant state. The spotting was likely the body's way of getting rid of excess, unneeded uterine lining and the nausea due to hormonal changes. As a precaution, Dr. Yuki had advised them to return for a check- up if the symptoms continued after two weeks.

Souichi looked slightly better having after vomited but the anguish in his eyes spoke volumes. For Tetsuhiro, it was already unbearable. For Sempai, those symptoms were just an unending reminder of what they had lost. Tetsuhiro held Souichi's hair gently as the man gurgled and rinsed, the silence broken only by the rush of water.

As they exited the bathroom, the somber mood was so overpowering that Tetsuhiro bit his lip. Whatever spark that had been in Souichi had dimmed after the vomiting episode. Now, he was heading to the bedroom to change out of his blood- spotted underwear and pants. Tetsuhiro followed morosely behind the silent man. When they reached the landing of the second floor, he finally spoke up. "Sempai, we could always postpone the ceremony until you feel better..."

"…And I told you that it was all right." Souichi's voice was low, strained. "He is already gone. Having the ceremony today, or another day, would not change that." With that, Souichi stepped into their bedroom and shut the door quietly, leaving Tetsuhiro alone on the landing.

The papers were ready. The rings had been collected. Sempai had also given his consent, which Tetsuhiro had never, ever imagined possible. Everything was set and ready to go for their marriage vows. Everything, except the fact that they were in mourning.

Tetsuhiro remained by their bedroom door, suddenly seized by a terrible sense that this was all wrong. The excitement and joy surrounding this day seemed gaudy. Blasphemous, even. It was as though they were celebrating…the death of their baby.

That last thought galvanized Tetsuhiro into sudden action. He knocked on the bedroom door. "Sempai…"

Rapid footsteps and then, Souichi yanked the door open. He was already half- dressed in his finest yukata, the obi dangling loosely in his hand. "What?"

Tetsuhiro bit his lip as he tried to articulate the mass of emotion writhing within him. "The ceremony…is it wrong to hold it today, after all?"

"Wha—"

Ding dong. The melodious tone of the doorbell sang through the house. Their family members had arrived to preside over the ceremony.

Tetsuhiro and Souichi glanced at each other, Tetsuhiro's suggestion a sombrous cloud over the brightly- lit day.

* * *

"Good morning! Congratulations on your marriage!"

A flurry of petals was showered upon them the moment Tetsuhiro and Souichi opened the front door. Kanako, decked out in a complete kimono outfit, grinned ecstatically as she blessed them with more flowers. Matsuda- san, their aunt, was elegant in her olive kimono with geometric patterns running up the sides of the cloth. Even Souji had cleaned up; he was an attractive middle- aged man in an ash- grey yukata. Behind them, looking a little awkward and out of place, was Kunihiro. He was alone.

All four guests stopped short when they noticed the state of dishevelment of the men.

"Nii- san, Morinaga- Nii, why are the two of you still not dressed! We have to go for our luncheon, and then go and pray at Meiji Jingu!" Kanako admonished them as she stepped into the house and removed her geta at the genkan.

"Kanako- chan, there's still time," Matsuda- san chided her gently. Then, she turned to her nephew and soon-to-be nephew. "However, she's right, my dears. Why don't the two of you get changed, now? If Emi- chan's also not ready yet, I'll help to dress her."

"A-ahh…" Tetsuhiro was tongue- tied in the face of their urgings. His head was spinning.

"Souichi." Souji hugged his eldest son. He gazed at him affectionately. "You've lost weight, son. You must eat more!"

"Yea, I will…" Souichi gazed at his father, who had tanned even more since the last time he had seen him. "Thanks for coming today, Tou- san."

"I missed Tomoe's wedding in America; if I missed yours, too, I'd be the worst father in the world!"

"True, that." Souichi smirked.

"A pity that Hana- san couldn't be here…However, I'm sure that she's looking over us from above and blessing the two of you." Souji looked at Tetsuhiro and beamed at him. "So, I'll be gaining a new son today, huh?"

"Yes…" Tetsuhiro bowed and smiled uncertainly. He was of two minds now with regards to postponing the ceremony.

"Good morning, Tetsuhiro, and, err, Tatsumi- kun," Morinaga Kunihiro handed Tetsuhiro an exquisitely- wrapped gift as he stepped into the genkan.

Souichi narrowed his eyes at him with undisguised suspicion, clearly remembering how Morinaga Keiko had tried to steal Emi from him before. Noticing the explosive atmosphere, Tetsuhiro tugged at Souichi's hand beseechingly. "Sempai, Nii- san—he's helped me understand many things. He made me see things clearly when we were fighting that time…so, could you not be so hard on him?"

Souichi sent another level gaze at Kunihiro before he turned away and walked inside the house with his father. Tetsuhiro smiled at his brother ruefully. "Nii- san, thanks for coming today. How have you and Masaki- san been?"

"As well as we could be," Kunihiro replied genially. A softness entered his voice at the mention of Masaki Junya. "He sends his well- wishes, Tetsuhiro."

"That's good to hear," Tetsuhiro said gratefully. When he heard his name being called, he glanced back. "Yes, Kanako- chan?"

"Morinaga—Nii- san, come on!" As energetic as ever, Kanako beckoned for Tetsuhiro and Souichi to follow her upstairs. "Man, guys are so sloppy with everything! This is your own marriage ceremony, people! Quickly, go and get dressed!"

Tetsuhiro and Souichi soon found themselves back in their bedroom. When Kanako demanded to know where Emi's dress was, Tetsuhiro could only point haplessly towards the nursery. After instructing them to be dressed and ready in fifteen minutes, the young sergeant marched off to find her niece.

Now that their bedroom was peaceful once again, Tetsuhiro did not know quite how to face his lover. Souichi was staring at him with the steady, piercing gaze that seemed to be able to peer right into Tetsuhiro's soul. He paced towards the table, where the adoption papers were kept but stopped short of taking them out. Agitatedly, he then circled the bed, not knowing where to place himself. His own yukata hung in front of the wardrobe, ice- grey and silver to match Souichi's navy blue.

"Are you thinking of unnecessary stuff again, Morinaga?" Souichi's golden eyes were orbs of fire.

"Unnecess—no, Sempai!" Tetsuhiro huffed, unsure of how to explain himself. In normal circumstances, he would have been the one hounding Sempai to marry him! Yet, these were no ordinary circumstances…

"Is it because of the…miscarriage?" The last word slipped out of Souichi like a sigh. The man suddenly looked too thin in his graceful yukata. Those winged eyes fluttered shut wearily and then opened again. "I told you, it doesn't make a differen—"

"—It does! Sempai, how could you say that there wouldn't be a difference? Look at you, at us! Do you seriously think that we are—are whole and happy enough to go through with the marriage? I don't want to sign the papers perfunctorily!"

"Tch—!" Souichi raked a hand impatiently through his hair. "What the hell are you bullshitting about, Morinaga?! It's just signing the papers; did you have to make a big deal out of it?"

"But it is a big deal—!"

"Just sign them and get this shit out of the way! Fuck it. I'm already having it up till here with the fucked up sabotage and the miscarriage. Then this—!" Souichi spat. He whipped the folds of the yukata around his body and then tightened the obi aggressively. Each movement was irate, frustrated.

This shit…? Souichi's words were like a slap to Tetsuhiro's face. He sank on the bed, the sense of betrayal slicing through his heart. "Sempai, so you think that the adoption is just—just some shitty thing to deal with? Then why did you give me the briefcase? The plant? Kami…"

Souichi froze as he belatedly realized just how severe he had sounded. "No, I didn't mean that. I just—I only meant that there's been so much shit going on and it's fucked up our lives! Why the fuck should our plans go awry?"

By this time, Souichi was breathing harshly and he had turned even paler. Nonetheless, he marched over to Tetsuhiro and forced the younger man to look at him. Tetsuhiro did so petulantly, his eyes shining with tears. "Losing the baby has been fucked up enough. Do you want this thing…this thing going on for us to disappear, too?"

Tetsuhiro shook his head vehemently. "No!"

"Then? Why the fuck are we fighting about this, now? Goddamnit!" Suddenly, Souichi's face contorted and he clutched at his abdomen. "Wh—"

"Sempai!"

Fortunately, Tetsuhiro caught Souichi before his knees buckled. Swiftly, he manoeuvred the man onto the bed and got him to lie down. Cold sweat had broken over Souichi's skin and he only shook his head stiffly when Tetsuhiro tried to soothe his stomach. "Don't touch—hurts…"

"Okay, I won't…" Tetsuhiro turned to stroke Souichi's brow instead, wondering anxiously if miscarriage was supposed to wreck so much havoc on the body in its aftermath. "… How are we going to survive this, Sempai?"

"B-bloody hell. I won't lose …" Souichi gritted out. His free hand he gripped onto Tetsuhiro's and squeezed. "You, too, idiot!"

That stubborn insistence was what finally coaxed a smile out of Tetsuhiro. Kami, this man. Sempai had always barreled through the greatest obstacles with his tenacity and fearlessness. He instilled in Tetsuhiro newfound courage. Amidst the troubles and sorrows, could they rise above them and find happiness? Tetsuhiro glanced tenderly at Souichi. With this man, he probably could. "Sempai, I love you. I really do."

Souichi glared tiredly at Tetsuhiro. "What's with the confession now? Weren't you just resisting the idea of getting married?" The cramp finally seemed to be receding and he relaxed slightly against Tetsuhiro. His sweaty brow was cool against Tetsuhiro's wrist.

"I just felt like we were letting our baby down, celebrating a joyous occasion when we had just lost him…" Tetsuhiro murmured. He battled down the sour tinge in his nose. Kami, he missed him so much… "I don't want him to think that we didn't want him, y-you know?"

"I know…" The same ache echoed in Souichi's voice. "…I'm going to nail the bastard who took him away, Morinaga. I will."

The tangle of emotion finally loosened in Tetsuhiro's chest. He sniffed several times before smiling tremulously at Souichi.

"…Do you want to change into your yukata now?" Souichi wiped an errant tear from Tetsuhiro's cheek as he asked the question quietly.

"...Yes." This time, the doubt was gone. "However," Tetsuhiro studied Souichi's pale face worriedly, "let's keep the celebrations at home? I don't think you should be moving about. And, I think that we have to tell our families about the miscarriage. It's only right."

"I guess we'd have to." Souichi sighed. He frowned again.

Tetsuhiro knew that he was deeply troubled by the fact that they were going to cause his family worry. He squeezed Souichi's hand reassuringly and said, "We'll be facing this together, Sempai."

* * *

"And so, that's what happened in the last few weeks…" Tetsuhiro finished.

All of them were in the kitchen, seated at the dining table. A pot of tea sat barrenly in the middle. There was a shroud of silence after he had finished narrating the events up till the present day. Tetsuhiro sipped his tea in an attempt to calm down and noticed that Souichi was similarly wound up, though his face was expressionless.

"I'm sorry to drop all these on you today," Souichi finally said. He gazed quietly at his family, taking in their somber and stunned expressions.

Souji was the first to react. He grasped Souichi's and Tetsuhiro's hands. "I'm sorry that both of you had to face this alone."

"Yes, so am I…And, we are family, Sou- kun. Don't think that you are burdening us, you hear?" Matsuda- san's scolding could not have been gentler.

"Yea…" Kanako sniffled. Her effervescence had fizzed out significantly but her protectiveness of her brother shone ever brighter. She stepped out from her seat, padded over to Souichi. With all her might, she hugged him. "I would have loved him, too, Nii- san. Or her. We would all have."

Kunihiro's lips were drawn in a thin line; he looked pale and shocked. Seated beside Tetsuhiro, he clapped a reassuring hand over his brother's shoulder in silent support. Tetsuhiro nodded numbly, his head bowed.

* * *

**xxx Souichi xxx**

After the somberness of earlier, the topic turned once more to the signing of the adoption papers. It was, after all, the main focus of the day. Souichi and Morinaga had finally changed into their formal wear and even Emi was a pretty little doll in her baby- sized kimono. Souichi carried her downstairs and Kanako immediately took out her Polaroid to snap a picture of the family of three in their finest.

"Nii- san, could you stand there, yes, by the staircase? Morinaga- Nii, you too! Quickly!"

"Why are you taking photos?" Nonplussed, Souichi had to be pulled into position by his kouhai. Emi merely sucked happily on her thumb and chuckled happily.

"It's to commemorate today, of course!"

"Kanako- chan, help us take many photos, okay?" Morinaga called out. His good spirits had been restored and now, Souichi could only detect light- hearted joy from him. He took note of that, satisfied. When Kanako lifted the camera, he stood dutifully by his family.

"You look good, Sempai," Morinaga said sincerely. The younger man's eyes roved admiringly over Souichi's shiny tresses and the striking figure that he cut in his navy blue yukata and maroon obi. "It's not often that I get to see you in yukata."

The damned man was obviously conjuring up various…images in his mind. Souichi flushed, those same visions materializing in his brain. Stupid Morinaga! He realised that his kouhai was leaning closer and immediately used Emi as a shield. "Carry Emi, you big pervert!"

"Ehh, but I didn't do anything…?" Bemused, Morinaga nevertheless hefted Emi into his arms and snuggled her happily. The baby removed her thumb from her mouth and patted Morinaga on the chin, effectively smearing him with saliva. Morinaga was instantly distracted. "Emi- chan! Look what you've done to Papa!"

Souichi smirked. He had Emi as an ally. He was about to follow Kanako to the kitchen when he paused. There was somewhere that he wanted to go to, first. With a sweep of his yukata, he strode towards the balcony.

Morinaga seemed to have the same sentiments, for the man appeared behind Souichi not a minute later. Emi was still in his arms. Together, they gazed at the herb pot, and the little stuffed rabbit.

A cramp zipped through his abdomen but it was not alarmingly painful. Resigned to his body's motions, Souichi said one last silent prayer and then glanced at his husband- to- be. "Let's go, Morinaga."

"Yes…"

A festive atmosphere had finally made its presence known in the kitchen. There, Matsuda- san and Kanako had taken out the wedding gifts and symbolic foods that they had brought from Nagoya. Tomoe had sent his well- wishes as well and his gift had also been presented. The adoption papers had been placed ceremoniously on a lacquered board, and their seals were positioned neatly beside an inkpad.

Matsuda- san sat at the head of the table, as regal as a queen in her olive and gold kimono and bunned- up hair. Souji, Kanako and Kunihiro were similarly proper, carrying out their duties as witnesses to the T.

When the men were seated, Matsuda- san picked up the sheath of papers and turned them to the last page. She then placed them down again, her movement measured and deliberate, heavy with meaning. "Gentlemen, are you ready?"

"Yes," Morinaga breathed out. He glanced at Kunihiro and then at Souichi, his bottle- green eyes holding just a little hint of uncertainty.

Knowing that the cause of Morinaga's insecurity lay in his own belligerent and ambiguous attitude, Souichi took a deep breath and searched deep into himself. Was this union with his kouhai something that he truly wanted? For the sake of himself and Morinaga, he had to be certain.

There was peace in his heart. It was the same, unshakable conviction that he had felt the first time he told Morinaga to stay. This, was something that he wanted to do. Souichi nodded at Matsuda- san and she beamed.

"This document lists out the clauses that govern the adoption of an adult into the family register. Officially, it will mean that Morinaga- kun would take on the Tatsumi surname and be a part of our family. Unofficially, it will also signify a union equivalent to marriage. If you are certain that you have fully understood the clauses and their implications, then, please stamp your name on the lines below.

"I understand, and… I agree to the adoption." Morinaga was visibly nervous now. Without hesitation, he dabbed his seal against the inkpad, stained it crimson. Souichi did the same; he was acutely aware of Morinaga's gaze on him the whole time as he did so.

"I understand the contents and I agree to all the conditions and implications," Souichi murmured. He felt more than saw Morinaga's entire figure relax. Now, joy fairly radiated from the other man. A hand brushed his under the table, a light touch. It sent electricity jolting through Souichi.

"Good! If that's the case, Morinaga- kun, please sign on the left, and Sou- kun, please sign on the right."

The act was done in a matter of seconds. After they lifted the seals off of the paper, their names glistened, blood- red, against the snowy whiteness of the canvas. The papers, prepared more than eight months ago, had finally been placed into effect. It was the most important piece of document that they had signed together. Souichi placed his seal down, noticing that he was trembling slightly. They had done it.

"I now declare you married in the eyes of the law." Matsuda- san was as proud as any mother could be.

"Congratulations, son. Tetsuhiro—I'll call you that from now on—welcome to the family," Souji shook their hands warmly, his tawny eyes smiling slits. "I'll leave Souichi in your care, then. Be good to each other."

"I will, Tat—Father."

"Nii- san, you'll have to call Tetsuhiro- Nii by his first name, now!" Kanako teased gleefully.

Souichi blinked as Kanako's words sank in. At his sister-in-law's cue, Morinaga also turned to him and said, a little playfully, "Sempai, do you want to call me by my first name…?"

"What?!"

"Tetsuhiro-Nii's already entered our family register! So of course you shouldn't call him by his old family name anymore!"

"Err—err—" He had been calling his kouhai by his family name for years! Souichi rolled the younger man's first name on his tongue but it merely got tangled up. "It's weird!"

"Ehhhh—" Kanako shook her head at her brother's obtuseness. He had just basically insulted his new husband's name. "Come on, Nii- san!"

"It's okay, Sempai. After all, you've called me 'Morinaga' for six years. Just continue with that, yeah? I don't mind…" Morinaga's tone was disheartened but he had clearly decided not to inconvenience Souichi.

Souichi caught the slight dip in Morinaga's joviality immediately. Once again, as it did every time he was the cause, he felt a pang of guilt reverberate through his heart. However, using the man's first name was difficult not only because he did not have the habit, but also because it suggested an intimacy that he had not associated with Morinaga. He had never called anyone by their first names before, save for his family members.

Then it occurred to him. Morinaga was family, now.

So this was the power of bonds, the reason people got married. It was because strangers could become family. With family, one's dealings with them changed, became more responsible, more considerate. Little things that had not mattered now took on new significance. Morinaga was now in his most intimate circle, somebody closer to him than even his siblings.

Souichi gulped. Calling Morinaga by his first name carried such implications. By rejecting the gesture, it would seem to Morinaga that he had not fully accepted him in his new position, yet. Kami. No surprises why the man had seemed let down, then.

Having worked through all of that, Souichi finally put down his pride and decided to give this first- name routine a try. "Tets—"

"—Ah, Sempai. I almost forgot!" Morinaga interrupted, completely oblivious to Souichi's frustration when he was cut off. The younger man took a box out from the folds of his yukata and then placed it on the table with a flourish. The box was striking in its turquoise and silver packaging. Embossed on the surface were the words 'Tiffany &amp; Co.'.

"Tiffany! Tetsuhiro- Nii, what did you get from that beautiful store!" Kanako squealed. Like a magpie, she waited eagerly for the revelation of sparkling gemstones.

The century- old store did not disappoint. Inside the satin box, two platinum rings sat side- by- side. The embedded diamonds were stars that twinkled enchantingly as Morinaga lifted the smaller ring up and regarded Souichi.

"Sempai, could I put this ring on for you?"

At Morinaga's solemn tone, Souichi's heart tripped a beat. He had never been one for accessories, much less diamonds, but this ring was no ordinary accouterment. Morinaga was smiling at him quietly; affection shoned so nakedly in his eyes that Souichi was humbled. All of his love, for a lifetime. "Yea…"

The band was slipped onto his finger and there it sat, perfectly snug, as though it had just been waiting for Souichi. He lifted it up and felt its weight, its responsibility. His throat suddenly felt dry.

"…Would you put mine on for me?" Morinaga murmured. His eyes were slightly reddened but a most beatific smile was on his face.

"Y—" Souichi coughed; his voice had somehow snagged in his throat. "Yea…" Mirroring his husband, he took the remaining ring and then slid it through Morinaga's finger. It was such a simple gesture. Yet, Souichi knew the instant when Morinaga experienced the same revelation as he had. He jolted when the younger man took his hand and squeezed it.

"I love you." Direct and unadorned, Morinaga offered up his heart. With a movement that was as natural as breathing, he took Souichi into his arms.

Peace as comforting as the downiest quilt settled upon Souichi and his body instinctively adjusted to fit perfectly with Morinaga's. Suffused in his husband's warmth, his scent and his weight, Souichi clung on tightly. Softly, he breathed out his reply against Morinaga's nape. He knew that it had been heard when the man's heartbeat tripled.

Kanako's Polaroid flashed again when they shared their first kiss as husband and husband.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	14. The celebrations continue

**a/n: A lemon has grown! Their wedding night was unexpectedly hastened by...soup.**

**Chapter 12: The celebrations continue**

* * *

**xxx Souichi xxx**

"…What's with that cake topper?!"

"Well, it reflects reality, no?"

"No, it doesn't!"

Taichirou Isogai had arrived. Gifts and jaunty grin in tow, the man's presence had started causing havoc just after Souichi and Morinaga signed the actual papers.

"Now, now, Souichi- kun, let's focus on the cake, not the decorations—" Isogai tried to reason as he fended off Souichi's repeated attacks on the cake topper. He looked appealingly at Morinaga for help. "Save the topper!"

"Don't you dare, Morinaga! And who invited you, anyway, Isogai?!"

"I did, Nii- san!" Kanako's cheerful voice chimed in. She was busy scrolling through the Tiffany &amp; Co. website on her mobile while munching on some snacks. After answering Souichi, her attention soon flitted back to the screen. "I'm going to save up to buy this bracelet. Do you want any of these, Matsuda- san?"

"The prices are a bit…" Nonetheless, Matsuda- san looked over the pictures of accessories with her niece with interest.

"I'll buy one for you on your wedding day, Kana- chan," Souji declared, "And for you, too, Emi- chan," he added. He hoisted Emi on his arm and began to talk to her about the insects that he had seen in Sumatra. Fortunately, the baby could not understand a word and was hence completely entranced.

Those people! They were completely unaffected by the atrocious cake topper! Souichi wanted to scream, or shake somebody's head loose. Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder before he was being pulled closer to the dining table.

"The topper's really cute, Sempai. They look like us!" Morinaga cajoled as he peered at the confection masterpiece. The cake itself was a two- tier confection, a Chantilly dream of swirls and rosettes. Made by Hidemi Sugino, Isogai had ensured that his wedding gift was an unforgettable and delectable one. What Morinaga was referring to, and what had got Souichi's blood boiling, however, were the two figurines adorning the top of the cake.

Fully customized, the figurines' resemblance to the two grooms was undeniable. Morinaga's was dressed in a black tuxedo, Souichi's in white. The details were accurate down to the parting in Morinaga's fringe and Souichi's round, wire- rimmed glasses. Unlike usual wedding toppers, the figurines were not engaged in a cheesy embrace. Instead, Souichi's figurine was holding up a mike, its mouth opened in an exaggerated opera, while Morinaga's was shown covering its ears in apparent torture.

No prizes for guessing whose creative idea it had been.

"Ehh, why is your figurine singing, Nii- san?" Kanako had stowed away her mobile and was now examining the wedding toppers. The girl broke into laughter as she touched Morinaga's tortured figurine. "There must be a story behind this!"

"Oh, you are definitely right, Kana—umpff!" Isogai had barely launched into his story before being silenced and dragged forcibly away by Souichi.

"Too much information!" Souichi roared- whispered.

"Heh, but I'm glad that you could appreciate my gesture," Isogai chortled. "And you, too, Morinaga- kun. You should keep them as mementoes. They are one- of- a- kind, you know."

"Morinaga…" Souichi narrowed his eyes at his husband. The man was obviously elated by the topper! "…You aren't thinking of keeping them, are you?"

"O-of course not, Sempai!" Morinaga immediately looked guilty and when Souichi's glare began to simmer, he hurriedly turned away. "Ah—let's cut the cake! Look, everyone's waiting!"

"Idiot—don't you dare change the subject!" Souichi tried to hold his ground but was soon sequestered by his family. Squeezed to the front and handed the silver cake knife, he had no choice but to cut the cake with the offending topper.

After the first cut of the cake, Isogai looped his arm around Souichi's shoulder and began to shoot the breeze. He managed to distract Souichi successfully, which gave Morinaga the chance to pluck the two figurines from the cake and store it in a box, to be washed, wiped clean and then displayed later.

"Congratulations, Souichi- kun! So, you two are finally official, huh?" Isogai grinned. So saying, he slid a tastefully- wrapped present to Souichi. "I have a present for you! It's going to be very, very useful."

"…What's in there?" Souichi gazed at the package distrustfully. Anything from Isogai was bound to have some catch. "Why don't you just give me that video that you took as a present? That'd be infinitely more useful!"

"Oh, no, no, no. That's my trump card—I couldn't possibly relinquish it that easily!" Isogai wagged a finger at Souichi and sniggered.

"You—!"

"Sempai, do you want to have some cake?" Morinaga called out. He carefully placed a slice on a plate and brought it to Souichi, elbowing Isogai away as he did so. He forked up a mouthful and held it to him. "Here, try some, Sempai."

Without thinking, Souichi ate the cake that was offered to him. Sweets were not a favourite of his but this cake that Isogai had ordered was unlike any that he had eaten before. Made with a sake cake base and topped with fluffy sponge and summer strawberries, the natural sweetness of the berry complemented the fizzy, slightly alcoholic flavor of the shirozake. "Damnit, the cake's pretty good."

"It is, isn't it?" Morinaga smiled tenderly and fed Souichi another mouthful.

Souichi glanced at his new husband. Their wedding was slip- shod by any standards—there was no luncheon, no praying. There had not even been a cake until Isogai had come along. Yet, Morinaga seemed completely fine. More than fine, in fact.

Still, Souichi had known his husband long enough to know that the man would not speak up even when he had grievances, especially when Souichi was involved. "…Sorry that we couldn't make it for the restaurant and the temple visit."

"Hmm? Ah, that wasn't even your fault, Sempai. Besides, we could always visit the shrine once you feel better." Morinaga murmured. "Here, another bite."

"You are fine with that…?" Souichi swallowed the cake and waited until Morinaga nodded firmly.

"Yes. I don't need any rituals when I have you, Sempai."

"That's exaggeration, idiot…!"

"It's not." Conviction rang true in his tone. Morinaga smiled quietly at Souichi's flaming cheeks, as rosy as the strawberries in their wedding cake. Hand resting lightly on Souichi's hip, the man stepped forward and completed the embrace. They stood close like that, bodies swaying gently to a frequency that only they were attuned to.

Marriage was intimacy, affinity. There were so many facets to it, all of which Souichi, and surely Morinaga, was getting used to. Still, there was just one more aspect—one that Souichi had not expected—

He was relishing every moment of it.

* * *

After lunch, Matsuda- san and Kanako had announced that they would be going to a temple to pray on the men's behalf and would be back to help prepare dinner later. Isogai had decided to tag along with them, though it was likely that he just wanted to go out and have high tea with the ladies.

In any case, that left the newly- weds at home with their baby, Souji and Kunihiro. The men had laid out a futon in the living area so that Emi could take a nap where everyone was.

At the moment, Souichi was alone with his daughter. Souji had gone to the bathroom while Morinaga had insisted on cleaning up and Kunihiro had volunteered to help. Left with nothing to do, Souichi entertained himself by watching Emi try her utmost to roll over. The baby did it patiently, little limbs straining under her weight. When she finally managed the feat, Souichi picked her up and snuggled her. Her baby scent was comforting yet poignant.

"Ah, there's my little granddaughter, now." Souji had joined them and he immediately stole Emi away from Souichi. Cooing and gushing, Souji scooped Emi high up in the air, eliciting gasps of laughter from the five- month- old. "Aye, aye, good girl."

After ten minutes of piggyback and tickling, Emi was beginning to yawn. It was time for her afternoon nap. Souji lay her on the futon. The baby, tuckered out, soon fell asleep.

Now that the raucous atmosphere had calmed down, Souichi's thoughts also became more somber. He rested his hand over his abdomen. He would have been seven weeks along by now. Subtly, Souichi glanced at his father, who seemed content patting Emi to sleep. In fact, the old man's eyes were drooping as well, lulled by the quiet and the few cups of sake that he had already indulged in earlier. "Hey, Tou- san."

"Hmm…?" Souji blinked and then smiled at his eldest son. "What's the matter, son?"

"...How did you cope when Kaa- san died?"

At Souichi's question, Souji straightened and pondered his reply. "There was a very bad period right after her passing. However, it helped a lot that I had the three of you. Trust me, taking care of three young children isn't a joke. Yet, you were already very responsible, then, and helped me a lot." Souji's eyes crinkled as he recalled their many antics. "And then there was my work, too. That helped take my mind off from missing her.

"The toughest times came at night, when all of you were asleep and there was no more work to be done. Sometimes, I would sleep in the altar room, beside Hana- san's plaque. Scared Matsuda- san when she woke up in the morning and saw me there, hah."

"I see…" The vice gripping Souichi's chest loosened a little. He stroked Emi's soft hair quietly, her presence an amulet of peace.

"I miss her every day. Thinking about her started off painful but the memory of her makes me smile, now," Souji murmured. The elder man picked Emi up carefully and then placed the sleeping baby into Souichi's arms. "The person might be gone, but the love still remains. That way, we never truly lose them. Because they are a part of ourselves, now." The elder man indicated his heart.

"Un…" Dipping his head, Souichi hugged Emi close. It was suddenly a little hard to breathe. Sourness rushed through his nose, his eyes.

"There's no shame in missing him, Sou- kun. No shame at all." Souji made no effusive move to comfort his son. His eldest had never worn his heart on his sleeve. There was never a doubt, though, that he felt things deeply. Perhaps even more deeply than most people he knew. Souji said a little prayer to his wife's spirit and then, without further probing, he quieted and waited patiently until the storm within his son subsided.

* * *

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

"Ah, Tetsuhiro- kun. Come, join me."

"Yes, Tou- san," Tetsuhiro put down the tray of ginger tea on the coffee table and hastened to comply. Before he moved to the sofa, though, he covered Souichi, who was dozing beside Emi on the futon, with a thin throw. Satisfied that his lover would not catch a cold, Tetsuhiro joined his new father- in- law for a cup of tea.

"Everything going fine for you? How is your work?" Souji asked genially as he sipped at his tea.

"Yes, everything's going as well as they could, Tou- san," Tetsuhiro replied. He took the chance to observe the older man. Ah, Sempai had inherited those tawny eyes and chiseled jaw from his father.

"That's good to hear, Tetsuhiro- kun. Ah, Sou- kun must go and pay his respects to your parents soon, if he has not done so already."

The mention of his parents surprised Tetsuhiro, although it should not have been. There had been so much bad blood and emotional distance between them…"Actually, I'm not on very good terms with my parents, so we haven't visited them regarding our marriage, yet. However, my brother is representing them today."

"I see." Souji nodded pensively. "Do try to keep in contact with them, Tetsuhiro- kun. Family is important. I'm not in Japan most of the time, so I'd feel more at ease if there were another elder around for the three of you." Souji smacked his knees, then smiled at Tetsuhiro. "Maa, in any case, you have us, now. Matsuda- san can always be counted on for help. So, don't hold back on us, Tetsuhiro- kun. You are family, now."

"I appreciate that a lot, Tou- san," Tetsuhiro said with feeling. "Thank you, for accepting our marriage."

"It's Sou- kun's choice and he seems happy about it so, there's really not much to oppose, is there?" Souji smiled cheerily at his new son-in-law. "I entrust my son and granddaughter to you, Tetsuhiro- kun."

"Yes…!" Tingling from the knowledge that Souichi was happy, Morinaga sat, seiza- style, and bowed deeply. "I'll care for them with my life!"

"That's great. All right, now that that's settled, just let me tell you about this giant millipede that we discovered in the western forest of Sumatra…"

* * *

**xxx Souichi xxx**

If weddings are blessed events, then food must be the auspicious items. As they had planned to have dinner at home, preparations began in the afternoon for the banquet. Everybody pitched in to help, whether it was the actual cooking, setting of the table, washing up and, in the case of Isogai, buying a party set of pastries from a café while on the way home from the temple.

The sun was still bright by the time seven- thirty rolled around. Since there were so many people, the men decided to carry the dining table out and set it in the middle of the living room. Soon, the mahogany was groaning under the weight of the dishes. Everyone gathered around the table and settled down to eat.

"Sempai, here, drink this soup. Matsuda- san says that it's very good for blood circulation and fatigue." So saying, Morinaga ladled a bowl of it and placed it in front of Souichi. Matsuda- san had clearly taken into account Souichi's weak constitution. "I also cooked zousui for you; it's bland so you might be able to keep it down better."

"Thanks," Souichi said and took the bowl of soup from Morinaga. At the sound of snickers, however, he flushed and threw a glare at his nosy family. "H-hey! Eat your food, everyone!"

"Tetsuhiro- Nii's such a good husband! My husband shall be someone like him, too!" Kanako declared. She grinned toothily at her brother when he glowered at her. "Ne, Nii- san?"

"Eat your food and don't talk so much, Kanako!" Sheesh, Morinaga was just being his typical self! What was there to comment about? Grumbling, Souichi sipped his soup. It was excellent, as expected of Matsuda- san. Turning to his husband, he told him, "Hey, Morinaga. Drink the soup, too. It's damned delicious."

"Ehh, but if I were to drink it…" Morinaga suddenly looked embarrassed, which took a lot. The man had skin as thick as a rhinoceros. "I don't think that I should."

"Why not? It's good for health, no?"

"Ehh…" Morinaga flushed.

Matsuda- san chuckled. She took pity on her new nephew-in-law and explained, "Sou- kun, the soup's suitable for you but not for Tetsuhiro- kun. It would be too…strong for him to handle later."

Isogai and Kunihiro immediately understood her meaning. Choking on their food, they hastily drank water and steered the conversation to safer areas. Souichi and Kanako were the only ones still bemused. The girl, however, simply shrugged and continued to watch over Emi.

"What the hell? It's soup! Besides, you've also been tired lately…" Recalling the late nights that Morinaga had burnt taking care of him and Emi, Souichi felt guilty and he doubled his efforts to make Morinaga drink the tonic. "I don't want you falling sick on me!"

Morinaga finally capitulated under Souichi's insistence. However, a mischievous grin soon crossed his face. Now that the entire family knew about their relationship, he was open about his desire to interact with Souichi. "Only if you feed me, Sempai."

"What?! Why the hell should I? You have your own hands; feed yourself!" Flustered, Souichi ladled a bowl of the tonic and set it smartly in front of Morinaga. Then, he proceeded to ignore the younger man, only glancing in his direction to make sure that he drank the soup. The poor man did so, much to raised eyebrows from the other men.

Appetites were healthy and the mood was jovial as the night went on. Sake was opened, including the junmai daiginjyo that Yuki Manami had gifted them. As the alcohol flowed, so did conversation.

Morinaga was blending well with his family, Souichi noted as he sipped at his ginger tea. The smell of alcohol had nearly upturned his stomach earlier and he had opted for a safer option. Which was pissing him off, really, especially when that bastard Isogai was clearly enjoying the daiginjyo!

His thoughts were cut off when he felt a presence come near him. "May I join you?" Morinaga Kunihiro asked. At Souichi's nod, the elder sibling sat down and sipped his sake.

"What do you want?" Souichi had no patience for the guy. As an older brother, he had not carried out his responsibilities righteously. In fact, the last time he had seen Kunihiro was when the guy had collaborated with his mother to take Emi away! Fuck if he would be friendly with him now.

"Tetsuhiro is in your care, now. Thanks." Kunihiro cleared his throat and then sipped more sake.

"Yea, at least he has a place where he's fully accepted," Souichi retorted.

His remark clearly hit home. Kunihiro downed the rest of his sake, his stance stiff. Souichi was just about to move off when the man spoke. "Wait."

"What?"

"I'm sorry about, well, everything that's happened." Kunihiro said softly.

Souichi turned back and looked squarely at his brother- in- law. "Apologies are worth nothing. Only action does. You know what I mean, as does Morinaga."

"I've been trying to make amends, and coming here was one of them."

"Right. That doesn't eliminate the past." Souichi tried to rein in his anger. This was Morinaga's brother. "All of us know that the root problem has not been solved."

"That'd require cooperation from all sides. I'm more than willing to face up to my part but what about Tetsuhiro? Our parents?"

"An older brother never stops looking after his kid siblings," Souichi replied evenly. He kept his gaze on Kunihiro, both men at a standoff until there was a cough and Morinaga appeared.

"Sempai, I, err, am not feeling too hot at the moment. I wanted to tell you that I'd be going upstairs for a moment," Morinaga said a little breathlessly. Indeed, he looked flushed and his eyes were feverishly bright. It was not the flames of sickness, though. When Morinaga fixed his gaze on him, Souichi could practically feel himself being undressed.

Instinctively, Souichi flitted his glance downwards. Was there a bulge there under Morinaga's yukata? At that moment, Morinaga shifted and the silken cloth flowed over his crotch. He was definitely…Souichi jerked his head away and gulped down his tea. What the hell? Had Morinaga been drugged? Souichi remembered the feeling all too well, the rush of liquid heat deep inside, the urge that just would not recede, no matter how many times he—

"Nii- san, I'll send you off when you are leaving. Now, I need to—" Morinaga crossed his legs anxiously, "—I need to go to the bathroom!"

Kunihiro blinked in confusion but accepted his brother's excuse. He glanced at Souichi to continue the conversation but the long- haired man whom his brother had married was off- skelter as well. His new brother- in- law was red up to the tips of his ears. His well- defined lips were parted, his eyes melted gold. Kunihiro suddenly realized that his brother had always gone for the good- looking ones…

"Excuse me." With that firm statement, Souichi swept away from Kunihiro. His pulse was leaping as he followed behind his husband. "Morinaga!"

"S-sempai?" They were upstairs now and the brunette turned to regard Souichi. He was visibly aroused by this time; his short breaths and heated skin bore testament to that. As Souichi came closer, the man backed off, holding out a hand to stem his advance. "Sempai, I don't think—I don't think you should come closer…!"

"What the hell's happened to you?" Despite the warning, Souichi grabbed Morinaga and took his temperature. Standing chest- to- feet, he used the back of his palm to touch his husband's forehead. "Did you come down with something?"

Morinaga's breathing had become staccato by now. Carefully, he tried to extract himself from Souichi. "Nothing's wrong with me…just something I expected after drinking that soup…Sempai, you really have to stay far away from me, now! I won't be able to control myself any longer…!"

"…!" Belatedly, Souichi realized that he had placed himself right at the mouth of the tiger, so to speak. Kami, was this what Matsuda- san had alluded to? Already, Morinaga was instinctively grinding his hips against him, even though he was still pushing Souichi away with his arms. His kouhai's face was contorted in an agony of desire and self- control. His arousal was a rod of heat against Souichi's pelvis. Even through the folds of clothing, Souichi's nerves danced into life. "You—"

With a groan of surrender, Morinaga pushed Souichi against the wall. He kissed him urgently. It was sensuous, slippery. Hands slipped under Souichi's yukata, found his left nipple. Souichi gasped aloud as sensation, stronger and more sizzling than before, zipped through him. "Morinaga—!"

"Sorry, Sempai, I know I should stop but…" To his credit, Morinaga managed to lift his lips. Still, he had already divested Souichi of his yukata; the clothing now hung at his elbow, completely exposing his chest. Morinaga hugged Souichi close, his mouth sucking a hot, bruised kiss mark on his neck. Down his collarbone, his heaving ribcage, his tongue licked circles around Souichi's nipple, flicking his areole until it peaked up sharply.

Souichi's knees buckled as the onslaught of feeling concentrated in his crotch. He could feel himself swelling, the skin stretching and filling with heated blood. Morinaga aroused and Morinaga aroused were completely different. He was a demon, utterly focused, completely feral.

Souichi cried out as Morinaga grabbed his laden balls, massaged them through the thin layer of his underwear. Squeeze, squeeze, relax. Working his way up, Morinaga stroked his frenulum. His thumb flicked upwards against Souichi's penis's head. Flick, flick, stroke. Souichi swelled, his erection jutting out between the folds of his disgraced yukata.

The landing faded, the feel of the hard wall became insignificant. His hair was disheveled, his lips bloodied from biting. Yet, all Souichi could see was Morinaga, feel only his rough caresses. He was going to burst into a kaleidoscope of light. Free-fall like a catewheel. Searching for a foothold, Souichi grabbed his husband's back, nails digging deeply in as Morinaga kissed, then sucked on his tip.

By this time, they were practically sitting on the ground. Souichi's back was flattened against the wall; his legs were splayed wide open. Morinaga's tongue had flitted from Souichi's penis to his perineum. He had done this sometimes, a prelude to fingering. Knowing that, expectation began to build up in Souichi. Morinaga's tongue was against his most intimate part, inching ever closer to his entrance. Souichi forgot to breathe when the soft, warm appendage licked and then pushed into him. "Mori…"

The sound of his name seemed to trigger a stop button in the man. At the precipice of climax, Morinaga stopped his actions. He lifted his head. He was a beast who had already indulged in his meal halfway. Souichi shivered, breathing harshly as his husband arched over him, eyes dilated in the throes of arousal.

"Sempai…" With great effort, Morinaga moved himself away from Souichi's thighs. His skin was blotched purplish red and it was scorching hot to the touch. He had already come once and yet his second erection had already swelled to its maximum. It did not help that Souichi was lying before him in wantonness, his entrance completely exposed. Despite that, despite the blood- enriching tonic currently intoxicating him, Morinaga had pulled on the brakes. "Please, get into the bedroom and lock it. At this rate, I'll hurt you…!"

This was not like Morinaga… Souichi tried to sit up and his elbows slid awkwardly on the polished floor. He was still breathing heavily but he pulled his yukata over his lower body. "A—a little late, isn't it?"

"The doctor said not to strain your body…" Morinaga's words sounded thick around his mouth. He got unsteadily to his feet and helped Souichi to his. "I'll—I'll just go to the bath—"

Souichi had silenced him with a kiss. He jerked the man close, fingers fisted around his yukata. When they separated, Souichi looked him deep in the eyes. "You don't have to hold back to this extent. I—I understand how it feels, okay? I'll be fine."

Morinaga gazed uncertainly back. "Will you really be okay? I don't think I can be gentle tonight, Sempai."

Souichi gulped. Whether it was out of anticipation or nerves, he would never know. In the next instant, Morinaga had hauled them both into the bedroom. Behind them, the door shut with a click.

* * *

**To be continued.**


	15. Fusion

**A/N: I present to you: their wedding night. Thank you for all your messages. I've missed the Fire!verse too. **

**Chapter 13: Fusio****n**

* * *

**xxx Kunihiro xxx**

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

Morinaga Kunihiro treaded the steps up to the second floor and left the lively atmosphere of the drinking party downstairs. The relative darkness of the second floor suited his mood perfectly.

Kunihiro sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Souichi was right—they could not continue to let the issue of their parents fester. Tetsuhiro had married without the blessing from their parents while the Tatsumis had turned up in full force; the difference in acceptance must have been glaring, not least to Tetsuhiro.

All right. Although the last confrontation with their parents had not worked out, it did not mean that they should stop trying. As the older brother, it was up to him to start the ball rolling. With that, Kunihiro squared his shoulders, determined to find his brother and discuss the issue with him.

A sudden bump from the first bedroom on the left startled him. Kunihiro blinked and then moved in that direction. Tetsuhiro must be in that room. Hmm, the door was closed. He had better knock. This was not his home, after all.

As he neared the room, there was yet another bump against the wall. How strange. Kunihiro rapped on the door twice. "Tetsuhiro? I have something to talk to you about."

No response. Kunihiro frowned. Was Tetsuhiro not in this room? However, who could be making those noises, then? Everybody else was downstairs. He knocked again. "Tetsuhiro?"

* * *

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

With great urgency, Tetsuhiro braced Souichi against the wall and rammed into him.

"A-ah!"

"Sempai…" Feverishly, Tetsuhiro turned Souichi's face to him, kissed him deeply. All the while, his dick slid in and out, plunging into the incredibly tight heat of his husband. Kami… "Do you feel good, Sempai?"

"I-idiot, don't ask such questions—ahh!" As Tetsuhiro's palm tightened around his twitching cock, Souichi shuddered, his long, sinuous legs buckling. "You are doing it—too hard!"

"I can't help it…sorry, Sempai…" Tetsuhiro swept Souichi's long hair aside and kissed his nape. His thumb rubbed down the sides of Souichi's cock, the rhythm contrastingly slow against his ramming. Souichi moaned and clenched tightly around him as his aroused length jutted out. Tetsuhiro drew out, plunged in. With every movement, Souichi's leaking cock bounced, clear precum dripping sticky drops on the lacquered floor.

"Morinaga—!"

Sempai was close. He could sense it; the way Sempai's breath hitched in his throat, the way his moans became breathy gasps. Tetsuhiro caressed Souichi's pelvis before he cupped his swollen cock in both hands. His hip thrust forwards desperately.

Souichi fell against the wall, elbows braced against it. Groaning, Morinaga grinded against him, buried so deeply that his balls was touching Souichi's bottom. Continuing to massage his lover's cock, Tetsuhiro whispered, "This is so good…Sempai…!"

_Knock, knock._

"Tetsuhiro?"

He was coming. It was coming out. It was going to spill into Sempai's insides, fill it up fully. It was going to be wetter and hotter and… Lost in the imagery, Tetsuhiro barely registered the foreign voice. He sped up on his thrusting, his cock luxuriating in the friction.

Another knock. "Tetsuhiro?

"Mori—someone—someone is at the door…!" In front of him, Souichi had become aware of the interruption. Yet, Tetsuhiro was still thrusting into him, still pumping his plump cock. A cry ripped out from his throat.

"A-ah…!"

With great force, Tetsuhiro ejaculated. Semen spurted out, so much that it trickled out even as his dick gradually deflated. In front, Souichi's cock jerked and he, too, ejaculated. Come sprayed the wall, a white jet that shot straight out from his extremely sensitized cock.

The doorknob turned. Slowly, it began to swing open. "Tetsuhiro, are you here? I wanted to talk to you about our parents."

"Oh Kami—" Still joined with Souichi, Tetsuhiro's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was happening. With a mighty push, he slammed the door shut. "Wait a minute, Nii- san!" He exchanged horrified looks with Souichi, who then tried to wriggle free.

_Wear your clothes!_ the long- haired man mouthed the words in a hiss as he looked around frantically for his own.

_I need to clean you up first!_ Tetsuhiro gestured. He could see the white trail of semen leaking down Sempai's inner thighs, evidence of their copulation just seconds ago. Groaning, Tetsuhiro felt himself becoming hard again.

"Morinaga!" Souichi whisper- shouted as he saw that Tetsuhiro was simply standing there, full- frontal. Face flaming, he chucked Tetsuhiro's yukata towards him.

"Ehh—" Striding quickly, Tetsuhiro grabbed his husband and hugged him. He laughed mischievously as Souichi gasped at the intimate contact. The tip of his new erection ghosted Souichi's cock. "I don't want this to end now," he whispered into Souichi's ear. Tentatively, he rubbed against him slowly, biting back a groan at the delicious friction.

On the other side of the door, Kunihiro's affronted yelp could be heard. "Tetsuhiro!"

"Your brother's right outside!" Souichi whispered back heatedly. His breath caught as Tetsuhiro caressed his bare back, fingers tracing down his sensitive sides. He clutched onto Tetsuhiro as their hips began a sensual dance again. "Stop… this!"

"Promise me that we will continue later?" Reluctant to let go, Tetsuhiro cupped Souichi's buttocks and pressed him closer. His lover's involuntary moan struck a primitive chord in him. "Our wedding night?"

"…Hurry up and go have that conversation with your brother! He's going to break the door down soon!"

Grinning, Tetsuhiro pressed a kiss against Souichi's flushed forehead before releasing him. "I will."

* * *

**xxx Tetsuhiro xxx**

Red- faced and disheveled, Tetsuhiro sat across from Kunihiro in the kitchen. From outside, Souji's off- tune singing and Kanako's laughter drifted in. Now he knew where Sempai's singing 'ability' had come from. Chuckling, he sobered when his brother cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Mother has been asking after you."

Tetsuhiro raised an eyebrow. "Really."

Nodding, Kunihiro nursed his cup of sake before downing it in a gulp. "Why don't you go back soon and inform them of your union?"

Tetsuhiro was already shaking his head. "No. Not after the stunt that they tried with Emi- chan. My mind's made up, Nii- san. Sempai and our daughter are more important to me now."

"But—"

"No. I'm no longer a sixteen- year- old, Nii- san. They can keep their approval to themselves." On this point, Tetsuhiro was firm. He had been expecting this conversation and had wanted his brother to understand his stance.

Kunihiro's expression was a mixture of guilt and responsibility. Taking pity on his brother, Tetsuhiro reached across impulsively and gripped his hand. "Nii- san, don't meddle in this anymore. You don't have to be the middleman in this shitty affair. Just let me live my own life, okay?"

His brother sighed heavily before nodding. He patted Tetsuhiro's hand sadly and then let go. "Alright, if that's what you wish for."

"It is."

The two brothers sat in silence for a minute. Just then, Isogai stumbled into the kitchen, a goofy grin on his face. He was clearly sloshed. "H-hey, Tetsuhiro- kunnn! Where's Souichi- kun? Let's drink till we drop! Drop, I tell you!"

"Urghh, Isogai- san!" Tetsuhiro stood up and shooed the drunken man out. "I'm not letting you anywhere near Sempai!"

"Boo, you party pooper!"

"Yea, yea."

"Imma go find him—hic!"

"You won't! I've tucked him away somewhere safe!"

Kunihiro listened to the ridiculous conversation as it tapered away. Left alone in the kitchen, he shook his head, a faint smile dangling from his lips.

* * *

Four slumped figures, a smashed bottle of sake, crumbs scattered in every corner.

Carefully, Tetsuhiro, Souichi and Kunihiro picked through the debris and headed to the genkan. At two in the night, a taxi was waiting outside for Kunihiro. He had booked a room in a nearby hotel.

"Then, goodbye, Tetsuhiro, Souichi- kun." The older man nodded as he stepped out of the door. "Congratulations on your wedding."

"Thank you for coming," the newly- weds murmured. Tetsuhiro slid an arm around Souichi's waist, presenting an unconscious show of solidarity to the other Morinaga.

Kunihiro noted the gesture, feeling chastised. With a small wave, he exited the duplex and disappeared into the taxi.

Soon, the neighbourhood was quiet once more, suburban tranquility with its orange- yellow lamplights and darkened houses. Tetsuhiro and Souichi retreated into their home and shut the door. With smooth efficiency, Tetsuhiro scooped Kanako up and Souichi woke the adults. The ladies would sleep in the spare bedroom while the men would sleep on futons laid out in the living room.

It was two- thirty before all the guests were settled in properly for the night. The cleaning up would be left for tomorrow. For now, it was their wedding night.

Sempai was listing slightly as he climbed up the stairs. Tetsuhiro stood closely behind, lest he tumble down. The day's events had clearly exhausted him. Besides, Tetsuhiro had not been the gentlest earlier…

Thoughts of a carnal nature began to play havoc with Tetsuhiro's control again. With every step, anticipation mounted. God, he was really a beast. If Sempai was too tired…

They reached the landing and Souichi suddenly stopped. Tetsuhiro bumped into him and he winced a little. "Sempai?"

Souichi did not turn to him. There was a rather long pause. Then, with a voice as soft as a whisper and as rough as velvet, he said, "Go and wait in the bedroom."

"Ehh…?"

"…I want to take a shower, damnit!"

Understanding dawned. The smile stretching across his face actually hurt. Tetsuhiro headed to their shared bedroom, giddy with joy as Souichi fairly scampered to the bathroom. His blood hummed as he took out a tube of lubricant and some condoms out of the drawer. Already, he was hardening. Tetsuhiro wanted to pinch himself. Sempai was his. He sat on the edge of their bed, counting down to the time when his beloved would return.

Fifteen minutes later, Souichi entered their bedroom. He was dressed in his usual pajamas, his silver- blonde hair still damp. A towel hung over his shoulders and his glasses were slightly fogged. Tetsuhiro had never seen a sight so mesmerizing.

Nearing the bed and Tetsuhiro, the agitation in the man became more apparent. Souichi stopped just out of reach of Tetsuhiro, seemingly unable to move closer of his own accord. His eyes flickered towards Tetsuhiro, then away. The blush that he spotted was as rosy as the nipples that were hidden beneath clothing, as pink as his erection when swollen.

Tetsuhiro gulped. Every synapse in his body was reacting to Sempai's proximity. He glanced up, drinking in the sight of his bewildered lover. Tonight, he would let Sempai take the reins, set the pace. It was their dance now.

Every so hesitantly. Like a reticent gazelle, Souichi came forward. He pulled the towel off and let it slip from his fingers to the floor. Watching Tetsuhiro watch him, he swallowed audibly as he began unbuttoning. His blush was strong, his gaze even stronger.

Tetsuhiro licked his lips unconsciously as inch after tantalizing inch of skin was revealed. Sempai was toned and fair, his chest a creamy expense of smoothness. His nipples were pert and cute. Tetsuhiro loved their light pink colour, could lave at them all day. He leaned back as Souichi straddled his lap, top fully unbuttoned.

"What do you want me to do, Sempai?" Tetsuhiro whispered. He had not made a move to touch Souichi, his hands braced against the mattress. Sempai's openness moved him, made his heart beat painfully. They were finally, finally on the same page.

Souichi bit his lip, lashes fluttering. His hand rested against Tetsuhiro's chest, the pads of fingers searing his skin. He tucked a strand of hair back nervously. Always, it had been Tetsuhiro initiating. The scientist found himself at a loss, his decisiveness not extending to such an intimate act. "I…"

"Hmm?" The dam of resistance broke. Tetsuhiro caressed his lover's face, smiling tremulously as Souichi shivered against his touch. There was just this tiny movement. Both men focused on it, emotion swelling and cresting.

"Touch me."

The silken command rocked between them. Souichi's legs wrapped around Tetsuhiro's waist. They sank into the kiss, lips to lips, chest to chest. They took their time, tasting each other like rare wine. Tetsuhiro's hands entangled in Souichi's hair; his mouth opened to plunder and conquer. Tingles ran down his spine, resonating in his cock. This was their first kiss.

Along the way, Souichi's top had been divested. The men collapsed onto the bed, Tetsuhiro beneath Souichi. Tetsuhiro reveled in their full- body embrace. Sempai's heat, the beating of his heart, the pebbly nubs of his nipples could all be felt.

He wanted to ravage him, eat him up whole.

"Morinaga…" Panting, his lips kiss- bruised, Souichi collapsed against Tetsuhiro. He was rock- hard, his erection pressing down against Tetsuhiro's. His nipples chafed Tetsuhiro's chest and a half- moan escaped from the man. Seemingly unconsciously, he rubbed against Tetsuhiro again. His face he hid at Tetsuhiro's nape.

Sempai was the cutest. He did not know how to ask for what he wanted. Tetsuhiro chuckled and stroked his lover's back fondly. "Sempai, remove your pants."

"What?" Souichi's voice was an embarrassed croak. He looked up to glare at Tetsuhiro.

"And my yukata," Tetsuhiro breathed out. He ran his fingers against Souichi's areoles, just a fleeting touch. The long- haired man buckled, eyes widening as Tetsuhiro did it again. Souichi gazed upon Tetsuhiro, something like accusation in his eyes as Tetsuhiro said, "Do it, Sempai. Or I won't be able to touch you."

Flicking his hair back proudly, Souichi sat up. He pulled down his pants, struggling a little as the material rolled down to expose his slender calves. His briefs, a little triangular thing that did nothing to conceal his erection, came away slower. Souichi scowled as Tetsuhiro stared openly, admiringly.

"I could look at you all night, Sempai."

"As if you'll only be doing that," Souichi groused. He folded his pants obsessive-compulsively, a distraction technique. Tetsuhiro grabbed his hands and gently pulled the piece of clothing away. It went over the edge of the bed, forgotten.

"No, I won't be doing just that." Still holding Souichi prisoner, Tetsuhiro slowly guided the man's hands to his groin. He wanted Sempai to know just how much he craved him. A drug. He was his addiction.

Souichi gulped, long fingers now resting against the jutting length of Tetsuhiro's cock. As though in a daze, he slid his hands upwards and began unknotting his obi. As it loosened, he pushed the yukata aside. "Lift your hands," he instructed Tetsuhiro.

"Thank you," Tetsuhiro whispered. He sat up as well, which allowed Souichi to slide the yukata off completely. His touch was gentle and wifely as he helped Tetsuhiro to undress.

When that was done, Tetsuhiro simply held Souichi close and tucked his head against his nape.

"You are crying…" Souichi sounded shocked. Arms encircling Tetsuhiro's waist, he soothed him carefully. His worry rippled out in waves. "Why…?"

"Because I'm happy. Sempa—" Tetsuhiro buried his face against Souichi's shoulders, throat working.

"You…I'm here, I won't be going anywhere," Souichi murmured. He gathered Tesuhiro to his chest, baritone voice tickling his ear.

Tetsuhiro nodded. Guard completely down, he let himself cry fully.

Souichi nuzzled against him, saying nothing through his silent, wracking sobs.

"…I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Until we are both old and wrinkled, chasing each other around with our walking sticks," Tetsuhiro sniffled after a good five minutes.

"Somehow, I can visualize that," Souichi said. Exasperation and a tinge of humour had slipped into his tone. His left hand, the one with the ring, soothed Tetsuhiro's head quietly.

"We'll have bentos under sakura in spring, spit watermelon seeds at the veranda during summer. We'll walk under the leaves during autumn, and huddle together under the kotatsu when it's winter. We'll do that, every day and every year for many, many decades to come."

"…No way I'm letting you follow me wherever I go." Souichi pinched Tetsuhiro on the cheek, his golden eyes searching his tear- streaked face. The gentleness of his thumb against his cheek contrasted with his words.

Tetsuhiro grinned, another tear leaking out as Souichi strove to mop it away. "We'll have lots and lots of children, and lots of grandchildren, running afoot. We'll laugh at their antics and spoil them silly. You'll teach them to study and I'll bring them to the park."

"Lots of children, ehh…"

Gripping Souichi's hand, Tetsuhiro's voice was strong. "We'll have more, Sempai. He'll come back to us. I'm sure he will!"

"Yea…" Souichi sighed brokenly even as Tetsuhiro hugged him fiercely. "Yea…"

* * *

As passionate as their earlier coupling had been, their joining now was drawn out, savoured.

Tetsuhiro rubbed lubricant all over Souichi's arousal and his entrance, massaging his lover as he did so. If Souichi's moans were any indication, it was hitting all the right spots.

He wanted to take the time to explore his husband. He was doubly precious now, for he was his husband. Beneath him, Sempai's cock was a work of art. Filled with blood and pulsing with heat, its head was dark pink, its length slick and shiny with lubricant. Tetsuhiro used his forefinger and thumb and slowly massaged his way up the length. Souichi cried out and bucked against him.

"T-touch it properly!"

"I'm, Sempai…" Tetsuhiro grinned and repeated the procedure, exerting a little more force into it. The first bead of precome appeared, a transparent droplet. Tetsuhiro dabbed at it and rubbed circles on the head. He watched with satisfaction as Souichi's cock lengthened and hardened further. It was parallel to Sempai's body now. But it was not enough. Tetsuhiro wanted his cock to jut out perpendicularly. He wanted it to be at full attention. He wanted Sempai aroused. Completely.

With a focus born out of desire, Tetsuhiro rubbed more lubricant on his hands, admiring its self- heating property. His palms warmed, he wrapped one around Souichi's shaft. With excruciating slowness, he began pumping him. His other hand he used to roll Souichi's balls, squeezing them ever so gently.

"Morinaga!"

Sweat had broken out on Souichi's skin. He was panting harshly, hands and legs scrabbling as he tried to hold in his climax. Tetsuhiro continued his sensual torture. One of Sempai's secret spots was at the base of his cock, at the part where his shaft connected with his balls. Bending down, Tetsuhiro began licking that place, his teeth scraping maddeningly across the sensitized skin.

"N-nooo!"

Tetsuhiro let go and looked up at Souichi's glazed expression. He had not come yet but he was close. Now, his cock was a monstrous thing, large and heavy and jutting straight up in the air. Proud of his ministrations, Tetsuhiro blew on the head and licked it. Once.

Souichi sat right up, his eyes glaring murder. "I want to kill you!"

"And I'm going to pleasure you, Sempai," Tetsuhiro replied without preamble. He laughed as Souichi tried to kick him and when that failed, snapped his thighs shut to prevent his advances. "Sempai, don't be embarrassed. I'm only doing what every husband wants to do."

"I can't believe this—" Souichi muttered darkly as Tetsuhiro pried his thighs open again. "I don't need you to—"

"But I want to. Sempai…" Tetsuhiro leaned down and kissed Souichi quietly. "I want to feel you beneath me."

Souichi blushed a dark red and then he turned his face aside. "…Do it, then!"

Tetsuhiro did not need telling twice. Once again, he ducked down between Souichi's thighs and bestowed the same kiss on his swollen shaft. He took the length in his mouth and began to suckle. His tongue worshipped his lover. Tetsuhiro loved the feel of Souichi's fullness, loved the way his cock throbbed and shuddered as though it had a life of its own.

"You can move your hips, Sempai. I can take all of you in," Tetsuhiro mouthed. To encourage his shy lover, he bopped his head as demonstration, sucking in so that his cavity would be tight against Sempai's cock.

With a guttural groan, Souichi complied. He lifted his hips up helplessly, jerking them uncertainly at first, then finding his rhythm with Tetsuhiro's help. He fucked into his husband's willing mouth, half- cries and utterances tumbling out as he found his release.

"A-ah!"

Tetsuhiro suckled hard, multiplying the sensations on Souichi's ejaculating cock. Semen, warm and liquid, shot out in jets. He swallowed and pumped Souichi until he was spent. Souichi's fingers tangled in his hair, gripping desperately as Tetsuhiro scraped his teeth across the length of his spurting cock. "Morinaga—!"

Tetsuhiro's finger was already tracing a path towards Souichi's entrance. With teasing moves, he prodded in. Not so much first, not so deep. Instead, Tetsuhiro simply poked around, loving it when Souichi began to swivel his hips in an effort to make his finger go deeper. Chuckling, Tetsuhiro continued suckling at his husband's half- flaccid dick. He would revive Sempai single- handedly.

"You are doing that on purpose…!" Souichi's growl was the sexiest sound that he had heard. The man tried to make Tetsuhiro take his finger out but at that moment, Tetsuhiro plunged in deep and hit his spot unerringly. Souichi arched up, his mouth an 'O' of surprise.

A satisfied smile on his face, Tetsuhiro felt Souichi start swelling again as he continued to massage the prostate gland inside his lover. Sempai was getting big and heavy. Tetsuhiro sucked on his new erection, loving it when Souichi unconsciously began thrusting, his cock sliding in and out of his mouth again.

Two fingers, now. Tetsuhiro added more lubricant. His free hand he used to dance down Souichi's inner thighs and pelvic bone, sentitizing them. He would make Sempai quiver like a tighly- wound bow.

Souichi's pants mingled with Tetsuhiro's suckling sounds. The man was thrusting his hips at regular intervals now, long, slim calves gripped tightly around Tetsuhiro's head. Tetsuhiro let him fuck his mouth and deep- throated him.

"C-coming…!"

Tetsuhiro could feel his lover's orgasm cresting. Souichi's cock was huge and slippery, precome coming out in small spurts onto his tongue and down his throat. Pulling his mouth away, Tetsuhiro grinned as Souichi begrudged the sudden loss of heat and tightness.

"Morinaga—!"

"I know, I know…" Still, Tetsuhiro was unrepentant. Leaving Sempai hanging was part of the plan. He wanted to bring him to the apex of climax, together. Positioning his own cock at Souichi's entrance, he marveled at the size of their erections. Souichi's was dark pink and leaking a constant stream of precome while his own was thick and stiff, ready for action.

"Ready, Sempai?" Tetsuhiro's kiss was gentle on Souichi's mouth. He gazed down at the love of his life, watching as Souichi's eyes melted into molten gold.

In silent acquiescence, Souichi opened his thighs wider and lifted his hips. As Tetsuhiro moved in and began probing with his cock, the man moaned. His legs wrapped securely around Tetsuhiro's waist. His body shuddered as Tetsuhiro sheathed himself slowly into his warm, waiting heat.

Bracing Souichi's weight with his arms, Tetsuhiro angled their bodies and slowly pulled out. He plunged in again, grinding his hips so that his cock could graze every inch of Souichi's walls. He kept his pace steady, drawing out the pleasure unbearably. Souichi's breath gasped out of him, abs clenching as Tetsuhiro plundered him.

"F-faster…"

Tetsuhiro grinned. Sempai was sprawled beneath him, frustration lining his movements as he thrust his hips up in answering motions. His cock, pushed to its limits, was leaking copiously. And yet Tetsuhiro was keeping him on the edge, his dilatory pace just staving off the madness of climax.

"This is not…enough?" With a smooth glide, Tetsuhiro plunged in hard, his tip kissing Souichi's prostate gland. His husband exhaled sharply and Tetsuhiro found his grappling fingers. As he picked up the pace, his appendage burrowing in and out of Souichi's hole, he bent down and kissed Souichi desperately. "This? Is this good?"

Souichi tried to glare at him but his breath was stolen as Tetsuhiro rode him hard. With crushing speed, almost brutal, they coupled, two men entangled in their pursuit of completion. Tetsuhiro scooped Souichi up in his arms, hands tangling in his hair, Souichi's nails scouring his back. With their breaths mingling, their guttural grunts mixing and echoing and swallowed by kisses, they met ecstasy as a whole.

* * *

The sun was peeking through their curtain blinds by the time Tetsuhiro wiped down his exhausted lover and tucked him in bed. It was still just four in the morning. A beam of sunlight caught Souichi's sleeping profile, bathing him in soft light. His wheat- gold hair gleamed like a halo; his long lashes were platinum against his cheeks.

Tetsuhiro lay beside Souichi, simply observing him. Love swelled up, a quiet resonance that fairly overwhelmed him. Tenderly, he leaned in and kissed the sleeping man reverently.

"Goodnight, love."

* * *

**To be continued.**

**a/n: after a long hiatus, I'm continuing this story. Thank you to those who've been following this story and the series! I would be updating this segment though I can't promise very regular updates. If you want, you can go to Fiction Press and search 'aiokikasete'. I have some short stories uploaded there as well (the same category as this story: yaoi, mpeg etc). Once again, a million and one thank you. :)**


	16. What goes down will come up again

**a/n: Hi guys! A new chapter is ready! ^^**

**Note: Souichi will start addressing Morinaga as 'Tetsuhiro' as they have married and his surname has changed.**

**Chapter 14: What goes down will come up again**

* * *

**xx Souichi xx**

It must be fate for Souichi to work together with his kouhai.

"This is Tatsumi Tetsuhiro and he will be the coordinator between our group and S Pharmaceuticals. The cnidium officinale project will be headed by Tatsumi Souichi- kun and Manami- kun. Starting from today, this would be the main project for our group. Are there any questions?"

Everybody shook his or her head. Satisfied, Prof. Satou nodded and started heading to his office. Before that, he beckoned for Souichi and Tetsuhiro to follow.

"It's serendipity that your brother works for S Pharmaceuticals, Tatsumi- kun," the older man remarked as he slid into his seat in the spacious office.

Souichi and Tetsuhiro looked at each other, their wedding rings cool against their chests. Both had taken to wearing them on chains so from the outside, they looked unrelated. Tetsuhiro's surname had been officially changed, though.

It still felt a little strange to hear people address him as 'Tatsumi'. Souichi figured he'd get used to it soon enough. As with calling each other by first names.

"Uhh—" Tetsuhiro started.

"We are partners. He was my kouhai from Nagoya University. We've known each other for six years," Souichi explained. Even if there had been a double innuendo in the word 'partners', he was not concerned about Satou understanding it.

Tetsuhiro, though, understood. The beam he threw at Souichi was sudden and blinding in its brilliance. Souichi shot him a look when his husband took his hand. Hidden beneath the table, Satou was none the wiser.

"Then why did you say you were brothers initially?" Prof. Satou frowned. "Ah well, it doesn't matter. Putting that aside, are you feeling better, Tatsumi- kun?" This question he directed at Souichi.

"Yes. Sorry for being out of the lab for so long," Souichi replied. Tetsuhiro squeezed his hand in silent support.

"Mhm. Well, you must be glad that your project has garnered a large grant from S Pharmaceuticals and in such short notice. I'm not surprised, though. Everybody's jumping on the herbal medicine bandwagon so the companies are all moving quickly. The first to push their products onto the shelf is the first to grab market share."

"I agree. Cancer research is also an evergreen topic. The herb I'm working on shows promise in anti- tumour activity but it'd require rigourous research and data collection to ascertain my hypothesis."

"Then make full use of the resources here, Tatsumi- kun. Also, liaise well with S Pharmaceuticals. You'll be in charge of all presentations and report submission to me as well as to the company," Prof. Satou pinned Souichi with a steady stare, as though assessing his ability.

"Will do, professor," Souichi said easily.

"Uhh, Prof. Satou? May I assist Sem—Tatsumi- san in his experiments? I'm familiar with a lab environment and we work well together," Tetsuhiro requested.

Souichi pinched his husband's palm, a silent _'What the hell are you thinking?'_. His overly- enthusiastic partner simply grinned at him before turning puppy eyes to the professor.

Obviously, such a request would be rejected. Tetsuhiro was not from Todai—there would be conflicts of interest. Satou would do well to maintain tradition—

"No."

"Professor! If I'm there to help Sempai, it'd prevent unrelated personnel from coming into contact with the samples and data. In that way, I'd be protecting my company's copyright and your university's reputation at the same time. It'll be a double- win situation, won't it?" Tetsuhiro flashed his business smile at the professor.

He had to admit, Tetsuhiro had become much more glib since stepping out into the world. His reasoning impressed even Souichi. Behind the table, Prof. Satou considered his proposition.

"…All right. You'll have to sign a non- disclosure agreement, though. I'll arrange to have the lab pass prepared for you. Tatsumi- kun, no other confidential material is to pass through him and he is not allowed to touch our computers and machines. He may only get access to data from this particular cnidium project. If both of you breach this agreement, then you will be held liable."

"I'll make sure to toe the line! Thank you!" Tetsuhiro stood up and shook Satou's hand warmly. "I look forward to working together with you!"

* * *

So it was that Tatsumi Tetsuhiro (neé Morinaga Tetsuhiro) became Souichi's colleague. And, as he had expected, his husband continuously overstepped the boundaries of professionalism.

"Sempai, do you need this?"

"Sempai, how about that?"

"Sempai, I've prepared the samples, standards and solvents! Where do you want to place them?"

"Sempai!"

"Morinaga!" Souichi roared, standing up with a clatter. Habits died hard. In times of exasperation (which happened frequently in their household), Souichi reverted to his kouhai's old surname. Tetsuhiro stopped hovering beside him and he was now backing slowly away from Souichi, a guilty and placating expression on his face.

Souichi stalked towards him slowly, eyes promising murder. "You! Do the work on another bench! Don't come within ten metres of me!"

"B-but—!"

"But nothing! I can't do my work with you hovering around! Now, move!"

Sniffling, Tetsuhiro threw him a hurt pout. Souichi folded his arms and tapped his feet impatiently. He did not stop glaring until the younger man had moved away, a metaphorical tail hanging limply between his legs.

Other students, especially Manami, were sending covert glances in their direction and giggling. Nobody had seen Tatsumi the Tyrant so close with another person before, much less being terrorized! The gossip mill was already working, churning out delicious (and untrue) suppositions about Tetsuhiro.

"He's so cute! And so young! And look at how he's pouting after being scolded! Let's go and talk to him!" A pair of Masters students walked by, whispering behind their logbooks. Souichi's brow twitched.

"Hello! Are you a new student here?" the more confident girl asked boldly as they stopped at Tetsuhiro's bench.

"Err, hello! No, I'm not a new student, I'm the coordinator from S Pharmaceuticals. My name's Tatsumi Tetsuhiro. Nice to meet you!" As he spoke, Tetsuhiro threw a glance at Souichi but the bespectacled man was resolutely _not_ looking and _not_ eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Do you want to have lunch with us later? It'd be fun if you join!" the girls giggled and asked coyly.

Slam! The large ream of research papers hit the bench, causing the girls to jump. Souichi, completely incensed, stalked to Tetsuhiro's bench and shoved the stack of papers into his startled hands. "Finish reading this by lunch. If you don't, you can forget about eating!" Then, he headed towards the second laboratory. He absolutely di not stomp there, although people observed that his footsteps were unnecessarily loud and heavy.

The two girls stared after him in shock, jaws slack. Beside them, Tetsuhiro looked down at the research papers in his hands and smiled giddily. Excusing himself, he hurried after his darling and most definitely jealous Sempai.

* * *

"So, how's the two newly- weds?" Manami Yuki asked as she swooped down on the men in the cafeteria three hours later. Their union had been a week ago and Souichi had dropped her a message thanking her for her junmai daiginjyo.

He had also sent a separate message informing her about the miscarriage. Her husband had already shared the bad news, along with his feelings of guilt, with her. Manami knew that Souichi had simply felt it appropriate to inform her personally.

If it had been a natural miscarriage, everybody would not have been so affected by it. As it was, Manami shared the men's anguish and anger. She would help them in whatever way she could.

As she neared their booth, she did not miss how Souichi let his gaze settle over her rounded womb before he answered her.

"Hrmph. Ask the idiot. He has to catch up with my research if he wants to become useful."

Said idiot was sitting ten metres away at an adjacent table, attention alternating between his food and Souichi. Sempai had literally meant ten metres. He wasn't even allowed to go closer during breaks! Tetsuhiro's dream of being with his lover 24/7 was crumbling before his eyes. "Yuki- san, hello to you, too…"

"Aww, don't be so cruel, Souichi- kun! I think it's adorable how much Tetsuhiro- kun wants to be with you," Manami remarked with mirth. Now that the men were of the same surname, it was easier to address them by their personal names. She laughed aloud when Souichi glared but otherwise did nothing to stop Tetsuhiro when he jumped up, took his tray and joined Souichi at the booth.

"You'd better stop hovering too close, get it?" Souichi elbowed Tetsuhiro not- too- gently.

"But we have to work together!"

"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't mean we have to be joined at the hips!"

"Well, maybe not in school but at home…"

"S-shut up!"

Manami laughed again, enjoying her friends' antics. As she settled into the booth, she realised that it was the exact same one that they had sat in when Souichi had accidentally 'kissed' her. Comparing how the two men had been to how they were now, the pregnant woman suddenly felt her heart fill. She was so glad that they had worked out whatever differences they had had.

Unconsciously, she smoothed her stomach as the baby kicked inside her. Almost immediately, she felt the two men in front of her quieting, eyes following her action. Manami bit her lip as the mood at the booth darkened. Not so much as to become depressing, no. It was still perceptible, though.

Then they were talking again, Souichi about the project, Morinaga listening and adding in some insightful comments. Manami followed their example and continued eating her lunch. In her heart, though, she prayed.

* * *

Souichi was alone in the analysis lab when Nakanishi Shin entered. He was holding a tray of vials and they jumped when he saw Souichi.

"Tatsumi- san…"

Souichi looked up and saw the tall scientist standing at the doorway awkwardly. He simply nodded at Nakanishi before continuing with his work. As the man entered and began to work on his own analysis, Souichi kept track of his movements.

It was not the man's unneeded confession that was making him cautious; it was Prof Satou's words that weighed on his mind.

Nakanishi finished with his work and nodded at Souichi again before leaving. Once he was gone, Souichi got up and went to look at the running LC machine. He noted what the other scientist was doing before returning to his own work. As a precaution, he saved double copies of his data in his own hard disk and computer before deleting the copy from the lab's system.

Tetsuhiro entered the lab shortly after. He was wearing an expression that Souichi recognized. He was troubled. With his husband, it could range from the trifling to something serious.

Indeed, the younger man plopped down morosely on a seat. Instead of staying ten metres away, though, Tetsuhiro rolled his chair until he was situated behind Souichi. His head came to rest on Souichi's shoulder.

"Ne, Sempai. I don't feel comfortable with Nakanishi Shin around…"

Since they were the only ones in the small analysis lab, Souichi decided not to bash his husband's head in for acting so affectionately. Instead, he focused on his words and considered his answer. "Prof. Satou must have a reason for letting him stay on the team. We'll also observe him and make sure he doesn't sabotage my work anymore. So you," Souichi rapped his husband's temple lightly, "had better keep an eye out as well."

"Definitely, Sempai…" Tetsuhiro nuzzled Souichi's neck, his warm breath causing goosebumps to break out on the long- haired man's skin. "I'll protect you, Sempai! Both your work and your virtue!"

"What the fuck, Morinaga?! Just concentrate on work! My virtue has nothing to do with it!"

"It does! That guy is my rival in love! You don't know how attractive and beautiful you are, Sempai. If I'm not here to protect you, he'd have too many openings to corner you!"

Souichi rolled his eyes at his husband's melodrama. However, Tetsuhiro's presence in the lab was reassuring. He was someone whom he could trust fully.

* * *

The days in the lab passed peacefully thereafter. There were no further attempts to botch up his work or steal his data. Tetsuhiro's continued presence around Souichi and the scientist's increased sense of caution probably helped.

Work was going well. With his husband's adept assistance, Souichi's work advanced by leaps and bounds. As two months passed without incident, Souichi managed to extract some hopeful results that further elucidated the next steps of analysis. He began to feel a bubbling sense of excitement. He could sense that he was on the cusp of a big discovery.

He presented the initial findings to Prof. Satou and S Pharmaceuticals to great success. The loudest applause was from his husband and partner.

Tetsuhiro's presence soon became a norm at Todai and he quickly made friends with his amicable and helpful personality. People commented on the Tatsumi- Tatsumi seamless teamwork and praised Tetsuhiro for keeping up with the demonic pace and temper of the Tyrant.

Girls who had hit on Tetsuhiro soon realised that their efforts were futile. He had no eyes for anybody and had rejected more than a few invitations to dinner. Of course, the brunette did not miss Souichi's subtle jealousy; he never failed to throw a knowing wink and smug grin his way whenever somebody tried to flirt with him.

With Tetsuhiro there to assist in Souichi's experiments, people at the lab also realized that the long- haired scientist's temper tended to be better on days when he was present. Some braver students initiated conversations with Souichi on those days and discovered to their shock that Tatsumi the Tyrant was not as callous as they had thought. He was incredibly knowledgeable about science but could be comically clueless about trendy topics.

However, attempts to invite Souichi to team karaoke sessions continued to fail.

It also did not hurt that Tetsuhiro was the second male eye candy to join the lab after Souichi. While the girls agreed that Souichi's tawny- gold eyes framed by long lashes made him the epitome of geeky hot, they felt that Tetsuhiro's tall stature but adorable round, dark eyes produced an irresistible 'gap'.

Nobody, except Manami Yuki, realised that the devilishly- handsome Tyrant and cherubic Angel were actually married and had a child together.

Emi turned seven months old. She had learnt to sit up on her own without support and busied herself crawling around their living room and nursery. She had started teething and now spotted two bottom teeth. An angel when her parents were around, she threw terrific tantrums when she was left at the childcare centre. "Separation anxiety", the granny at the centre had explained. Emi could recognize her parents now and felt uncomfortable when away from them.

All in all, things seemed to be settling into a comfortable pattern again. The sabotage and the miscarriage felt like vestiges of a bad dream. The Tatsumi family were healing and were closer to one another.

* * *

Souichi first felt something different about his body when he woke up on the morning Emi turned eight months.

His usual pair of jeans would not button around his waist. Souichi sucked in his stomach but it was still too snug to be comfortable. In the end, he ditched the jeans and went for a more comfortable pair of slacks.

He must have gained weight. Left to his own devices, Souichi would normally forgo mealtimes when he was fired up about a large project. However, with Tetsuhiro accompanying him to work almost every day, Souichi had been amply fed with elaborate, homemade lunch boxes.

"Tetsuhiro, make a smaller portion for my lunch box," Souichi said as he entered the kitchen wearing a sweater. It was already November and cool autumn would soon transition into winter. "I can't fit into my jeans anymore. You should also watch your diet."

"Ehh? I've been making sure that our meals are healthy and nutritious, though. Maybe I've not got it right yet…all right! I'll pack a smaller lunch for you!" Tetsuhiro replied with a sunny smile.

"Thanks."

Emi was sitting quietly in her high chair but she had turned when Souichi entered the kitchen. Waving her arms to signal that she wanted to be carried, the baby gurgled happily when Souichi obliged. As he let her rest on his hips, Souichi distinctly felt the swell of his stomach beneath her weight.

Sudden epiphany hit him. Setting Emi down after a kiss and a greeting, Souichi walked quickly but carefully back into their bedroom. There, they had a full- length mirror. He closed the door behind himself and removed his sweater. Standing sideways in front of the looking glass, he gazed critically at his body.

There was definitely a curved roundness to his stomach. Souichi prodded the area gently. It felt firm, not flabby. Cupping his hands beneath the swell, Souichi sucked in a breath. He definitely looked…

Hold it. Men had beer bellies and they were hard and round, too. Souichi liked his beers and he had been indulging his habit—it must be coming back to bite him in the ass. There hadn't been any other signs as well. No vomiting, no loss of appetite, no extreme sense of fatigue—

Or had there been signs but Souichi had missed them?

Lately, his mind had been preoccupied with work and his hours had been long. Souichi began to remember instances of poor appetite and lingering exhaustion. However, he had chalked those up to his busy schedule and had frankly not paid much attention. Tetsuhiro's care and pampering had probably helped a lot as well.

Souichi's heartbeat sped up as he ran his fingers along the curvature of his stomach. The rise was so gentle that he merely looked like he had eaten too much during a meal. Souichi trembled as he remembered the last time they had become parents- to- be. He was not going to rush to the wrong conclusion and have their hopes come crashing down again. He put on his sweater again and then took his cell phone out.

"Dr. Yuki? I would like to make an appointment."

* * *

That afternoon, Souichi headed to the Yuki's gynaecology and obstetrics clinic alone. His partner had needed to be back at S Pharmaceuticals so he had not accompanied him to work that day. Souichi had made a lunch appointment to check if his suspicions were right.

It was good that Tetsuhiro was busy. If his conjecture was proven wrong, only one person would be disappointed.

Souichi entered the neat and airy clinic upon Yuki Kenji's prompt. They exchanged a cordial greeting.

"Tatsumi- san. Thank you for contacting me. How have you and your family been?" Yuki Kenji asked.

"We're fine, thanks for asking. Also, thanks for all your effort previously," Souichi pushed a box of pastries towards the doctor. It was apology for the brusque way they had ended relations after the miscarriage.

After a beat, Yuki Kenji smiled and he accepted the gift graciously. "I should be saying sorry for not being able to help you."

"You tried to. Tetsuhiro and I know that. It was just…hard to accept at that point," Souichi said calmly. Patient and doctor exchanged a silent moment of understanding.

"So...what can I help you with today, Tatsumi- san?"

Souichi licked his lip, nervous anticipation thrumming in his veins. "I'd like to get an ultrasound."

"May I know why?" Dr. Yuki was already extracting Souichi's folder from his cabinet and he turned to a new page to take notes.

"My pelvic area has been swelling. It could be weight gain, obviously, and I am not saying that it's anything but—I would like to clarify what's happening in my body," Souichi admitted.

The doctor did not comment on his suppressed nervousness. Instead, he motioned for Souichi to lie on the bed while he prepared the ultrasound machine and gel.

The familiar, cool sensation of the gel on his skin only further fuelled Souichi's expectation. Lying down, the bulge of his abdomen was not discernible. He suddenly had an attack of doubt. He should not have ordered an ultrasound. This was just a fluke.

However, Dr. Yuki was already placing the mobile sensor over his abdomen. There was a furrow of concentration on his face as he studied the grainy, moving images on the screen of the machine.

Souichi lay there quietly and tried not to let imagination run away with him.

"Ah."

"What is it, doctor?" At Yuki's utterance, Souichi's veil of pretense dropped completely. Craning his neck, he tried to catch a glimpse of the screen. From his vantage point, he could only see a shaky, black- gray image.

"There it is." Yuki centered the sensor on a spot just above Souichi's groin. On the screen, a dark, oval orb slowly sharpened into view. Within the orb, there was a white, indistinct shape. Both men remained silent, observing the image. Dr. Yuki adjusted the sensor and the knobs on the machine. The image sharpened further.

"Tatsumi- san, look."

And look Souichi did. As the doctor pointed at different parts of the sonogram, explaining in a gentle voice, tears began to well up in Souichi's eyes.

"—And those are the fingers, Tatsumi- san. Congratulations. You are pregnant."

* * *

After his pregnancy had been confirmed, Souichi sat down and waited while the doctor took some blood samples for testing. He barely paid any attention to the Dr. Yuki's movements, however.

Could it be that he had not miscarried earlier? He knew it was impossible as the timing was all wrong—if it had been their second baby, Souichi would already be eighteen weeks along. The sonogram would not show such a small fetus if that had been the case. However, the sense that their baby had returned to them wouldn't be shaken. Souichi laid a protective palm over his womb. By God, he would protect him.

"Tatsumi- san? According to the size of the fetus and the development of its parts, I would say that you are about twelve weeks along." Beaming, Dr. Yuki set the newly- printed sonogram in front of Souichi.

"So it's not…"

Yuki Kenji knew what Souichi was implying. He had had previous patients who had conceived shortly after a miscarriage and had wondered the same thing. "According to the fetus size, it's not possible, Tatsumi- san.

"Initially, I had hoped that the fetus had survived, especially since your hCG levels were abnormally high even after the miscarriage. However, the previous embryo wouldn't have survived the hemorrhage and tissue shedding that you experienced. Moreover, you did not experience any more pregnancy symptoms after that. So, this is a new baby that you are carrying. It is truly a cause for celebration."

"Yes, it is. Definitely…" Souichi's tone was so full of wonderment that the doctor had to bite back a grin. Yuki Kenji busied himself with gathering the latest pamphlets and prescribing vitamins to give his patient a moment of privacy. His own heart felt full to bursting. Life—it was such a precious gift.

When Souichi stepped out of the clinic twenty minutes later, he entered a brighter, more hopeful world. There was new life growing inside of him again. After the harrowing experience of losing a child, the immense relief that he felt now was humbling.

Just then, the vibration of his cell alerted him to an incoming call. It was his husband. Souichi gazed at Tetsuhiro's name flashing across the screen of his mobile. How would he react to the news, he wondered. A bubble of laughter escaped his throat at the thought, light and full of untainted joy.

He was still chuckling when he answered the call. Over the line, Tetsuhiro sounded pleasantly surprised to catch his Sempai in such a good mood. Deciding not to spoil the surprise, Souichi, with a hand on his womb, said,"Hello."

* * *

**To be continued.**

**a/n: **Struggled a little with the usage of names for Tetsuhiro but in the end, i decided to change it to his first name as it would be really callous of Souichi to continue addressing him as 'Morinaga'. I hope you all will get used to it!


	17. Emi-chan's diaries: Entry 7

**Emi- chan's diaries: Entry 7**

October, Monday

Weather: Windy

"...The butterfly burst out of the cocoon in a kaleidoscope of colour and soared high, high into the air. The end."

Emi was sitting in Souichi's lap, wavy dark hair all tousled and messy from her tickle attack with Tetsuhiro earlier. Now, the little girl was gazing at the picture book with interest, chubby fingers pointing at the illustrations of a multi- coloured butterfly.

"—fly!"

"Yes, butterfly," Souichi murmured. He stole a kiss from her as she grabbed the pages and tried to flip them. It had become a bedtime habit to read to her before she slept. It was not only educational but the busy fathers also got to spend some much- needed time with their daughter.

"Sempai, her milk's ready." A baritone voice heralded Tetsuhiro's arrival into the nursery. The brunette strolled into the room and settled comfortably on the futon where his husband and child were. "How was the book?"

"She enjoyed it. No, Emi—you do not tear the pages," Souichi's attention turned to his daughter as her rough grabbing threatened to pull the book apart.

"Ah! I saw some cloth picture books in the bookstore that day! Those might be more durable. They're washable, too!"

Souichi managed to rescue the book. As he put it aside, Tetsuhiro lifted the baby up and blew raspberries on her tummy. The little girl giggled uncontrollably, her shrieks of laughter cheering the men up immensely.

"Feed her and then tuck her in. I'll go and take a shower." Souichi pressed his cheek almost unconsciously against his husband's and then placed a peck on his daughter's head. He stood up but a hand shot out to stop him.

"Sempai…" Tetsuhiro's eyes were as round as saucers. Even now, two months after marriage, he was still bowled over by Souichi's spontaneous shows of affection.

"W-what?" Embarrassment was catching, Souichi was starting to realise. Both men gazed at each other, crimson tinting their cheeks.

"Ba?" Emi's curious exclamation broke the spell between her fathers. She wriggled around in Tetsuhiro's arms, blissfully unaware of the charged atmosphere electrifying the air.

"Can we…tonight?"

Tetsuhiro still had not let go of his wrist. Souichi felt the heat in his cheeks surge and he shook off the grip in a huff. Trust the idiot to make indecent remarks in their daughter's nursery! Turning smartly, Souichi stalked out of the cozy room.

He was waiting in bed when Tetsuhiro returned, though.


	18. On the move

a/n:** Another chapter up. Please enjoy :)**

**Chapter 15: On the move**

* * *

**xx SSouichi xx**

Returning to the laboratory after his check- up, Souichi tackled his work with an extra boost of exuberance.

Yuki Manami noticed his buoyant mood and commented on it. He chatted amiably with her about the _Cnidium officinale _project as she was also assigned to his team and managed to glean some insights about the direction of his research.

For the first time since the miscarriage, Souichi could regard the woman's pregnant state with honest equanimity. He did not mention his nascent pregnancy to his colleague, though. The news he would reserve for his husband, first.

Nakanishi Shin stopped by his bench for a short while and asked about the progress of his project. He also asked if there had been anything of concern. Souichi simply looked at him with an arched brow and told him brusquely to mind his own business.

That shut the man up. Souichi noticed his colleague's somber mood but couldn't bring himself to care. Although subtle, Souichi had noticed that Nakanishi always managed to work in the same room as him and would leave only after Souichi was done for the day. The fact that Nakanishi was not part of the Cnidium project made his hovering even more suspicious. He was like a tall, skulking shadow and Souichi hated it, hated the clandestineness of everything.

Prof Satou had said to wait and see, though. They were still unsure as to the motives and identity of the saboteur. They couldn't simply accuse someone of their faculty without concrete evidence. So Souichi did not lash out at Nakanishi. He reined in his anger, kept his guard up and protected all of his data.

That evening, Souichi left on the dot for home and waited impatiently at the train station for Tetsuhiro to return with Emi. When his family stepped out from the gentries, Souichi strode towards them, his spirits lifting despite a busy day at work.

"Sempai!" Tetsuhiro was all smiles as he espied Souichi through the crowd. He was holding a briefcase in one hand and groceries in the other. Emi was strapped securely to his front, the pink- white swaddle a sweet contrast to his sharp suit. "Why were you waiting here? You should have headed home first!"

"No reason," Souichi lied. His idiotic kouhai was smiling away like nobody's business and he was chatting a mile a minute, his gestures animated. For the umpteenth time that day, Souichi's hand went to rest on his womb. The excitement that had prompted him to go to the train station to wait for his husband crested again and he was hard- pressed not to grin away like Tetsuhiro.

The walk home was short, spent in comfortable conversation. Along the way, Souichi had taken Emi into his arms and their eldest now was snuggled against his chest, bright eyes looking at her surroundings with interest. Her likeliness to Tetsuhiro was so evident that passers- by stopped to remark on it. It was a common occurrence for neighbours to coo over her and the men were accustomed to it. Routine didn't stop them from beaming like the proud fathers that they were, though.

They were just glad that nobody was nosy enough to enquire about two men with a baby. That was why Souichi liked their current neighbourhood—people were friendly without being interfering.

Dinner passed with a quiet, home- cooked meal. It was only when they had showered and were upstairs in the nursery that Souichi decided to break the news.

Tetsuhiro was sitting on the futon and playing with Emi. Quietly, Souichi sat beside him and took his hand.

"What's the matter, Sempai?" Tetsuhiro asked softly, his eyes aglow as he glanced at their entwined hands. He shifted closer until their thighs touched.

Souichi simply guided Tetsuhiro's hand to his abdomen. Smoothing out his thin sweater, he let his husband stroke the gentle rise there. With his free hand, Souichi took out the sonogram snapshot that he had placed beside him.

"Emi is going to have a sibling."

Tetsuhiro's hand stilled. He looked up at Souichi with almost fearful hope. When Souichi nodded and showed him the sonogram, Tetsuhiro stared at it with reverence. Like Souichi, he could see the fetus's tiny, tiny fingers and its round little head. When he lowered the sonogram, Tetsuhiro hugged Souichi wordlessly.

Souichi's breath was squeezed out of him, so encompassing was Tetsuhiro's embrace. Everything that his partner wanted to say but couldn't, Souichi felt it in his trembling back and desperate grasp. It was enough. Taking in a breath that was not quite steady, Souichi finally let himself believe, and revel, in his new pregnancy. When the man in his arms whispered in fragmented phrases of his gladness and love, Souichi's head bowed and he kissed him.

After tucking Emi in bed, the men returned to their bedroom. There, Souichi removed his sweater and rolled down his pants. Tetsuhiro pushed him down gently until he lay on his back, his body exposed. Glasses removed, hair pooled around his head, Souichi basked in his husband's supplication.

And worshipped him he did. With his hands, Tetsuhiro explored the ripening state of Souichi's body. Fingers caressed his chest and stroked the gentle rise of his womb. Feathery kisses trembled down Souichi's torso, making him arch and search out a more solid embrace. Tetsuhiro leaned over him, dark eyes brimming with so much adoration and desire that Souichi raised his arms and brought him close.

Their joining was slow, thorough. Poignant. Tetsuhiro slid in and out of Souichi, his pace drawn- out, his thrusts careful. The gentle assault melted Souichi's bones and filled his heart. Tears fell in silent tracks as he clenched around Tetsuhiro and shuddered out his release.

Souichi and their unborn child fell asleep in absolute security.

* * *

"The mitochondrial analysis requires about four more hours. I'll stay back to process the data and will send it to you tomorrow," Manami said.

"No, go home, Yuki- san. I'll stay back," Souichi indicated the lady's eight-and-a-half-months state of pregnancy and shook his head.

"It's fine! This will be one of my last assignments before I go on maternity leave so I want to do my best. Besides, you are barely out of your first trimester; get as much rest as you can!" Manami now knew about Souichi's pregnancy and was ecstatic for them. For that day's work, however, she refused Souichi's offer with her usual spunk and logic. When her reasoning failed to move him, she enlisted the help of Tetsuhiro. "Tetsuhiro- kun! Escort your husband home at seven pm sharp!"

"Are you sure, Yuki- san?" Tetsuhiro joined their little bicker and gazed in concern at the two pregnant persons. Much as he would like to look out for his husband, his friend's well- being was important, too.

"Yes, I am. Besides, I'll just be sitting at my desk and staring at data. What could go wrong? Thank you both for the care and concern. Now, go back to your work!" Manami made a shooing motion but grinned at them to show her appreciation.

"Sempai, I think I'll stay back with her just in case. Do you mind fetching Emi- chan from daycare?" Tetsuhiro glanced worriedly at the pregnant woman.

Souichi shared his concern. Things had been going swimmingly at work but it never hurt to be more cautious. After all, Manami was working on the _Cnidium_ project as well. Furthermore, she was close to term. As friends and fathers- to- be, the Tatsumis wanted to look out for her. "Will do. Look out for anything out of place later."

"Yep I will. Oh, when you go and fetch Emi- chan later, don't take the peak hour train; the crowd is merciless and I won't be there to shield you and the baby—here, the cab fare." Tetsuhiro tucked some notes into Souichi's hand, which made the long- haired man scowl.

"Idiot, you don't have to give me money." Souichi smacked the notes back into his husband's hand. "We'll be in charge of our own expenses. Didn't we agree on that?"

"Yep, but this is shared expenses, Sempai. Anything to do with our children, remember?" Tetsuhiro grinned and forced Souichi to take the money. "It's for my peace of mind, too, Sempai."

"…Tch." Souichi noogied his kouhai's head but kept the money in his slacks' pocket. "Just because you are earning more now doesn't mean that you should let your pride get to your head, idiot. Save your hard- earned money and put it in some investments."

"Okay," Tetsuhiro said easily. Without warning, he leaned in to kiss the edge of Souichi's lips. Thankfully, the lab was empty except for Manami so it was not witnessed. That didn't stop Souichi from smacking him and pushing him away.

"Go and reply your emails, not sexually harass me!"

"…Yes, Sempai."

At her desk, Yuki Manami snickered covertly and then returned to her work. The three people settled into a comfortable work rhythm, which was not broken even when other people returned to the lab after tea break.

* * *

**xx TTetsuhiro xx**

"Sempai, take care on the way home," Tetsuhiro said as his husband slid into the waiting cab.

"Yeah, I will. See you at home," Souichi replied.

The door closed after him and the cab sped off. Tetsuhiro puffed out a breath and turned back towards the laboratory. The mitochondrial analysis would probably end at about eight; raw data input at about ten. He would be home at about eleven, give or take. Then he could be with his Sempai and babies again. Looking forward to the end of the shift, Tetsuhiro quickly shuffled to the laboratory.

Back at the lab, only the beeping sounds of the machines could be heard. Almost everyone else had returned home. There was only Nakanishi Shin and he was just packing up. Catching Tetsuhiro's eye, he nodded awkwardly.

Originally on his way to the second lab room, Tetsuhiro paused before he backtracked and stopped in front of the startled man. Nakanishi Shin stared back at him, light- brown eyes blinking nervously behind overly- long bangs. He tugged at his checkered shirt sleeves and said, "T-tatsumi- kun?"

The man's confession to Souichi flashed in Tetsuhiro's mind again. Normally, he would be dying of jealousy. However, Nakanishi Shin had not overstepped Sempai's boundaries in the four months that Tetsuhiro had been working in the lab. For that level of decency, Tetsuhiro was grateful.

Still, everything would be moot if Nakanishi was the saboteur. Tetsuhiro regarded him seriously. Now that Sempai was pregnant again, the regret from their miscarriage had alchemized into determination to protect them. Stepping closer to Nakanishi, he said, "Nakanishi- san, I was at the hospital when you…confessed."

A blush crept across the pale man's skin and he shrank back a little. Nakanishi stuffed his belongings into his backpack and tried to walk past Tetsuhiro. However, Tetsuhiro grabbed him by the elbow.

"W-what? Let me go!" Nakanishi freed himself, his eyes wide.

"I just want to talk to you," Tetsuhiro placated. Nakanishi's exaggerated reaction was mystifying. He had never expected this colleague to be this jittery. Quiet and socially awkward he may be, but Tetsuhiro had not thought that he would be a coward.

"You are going to—to blackmail me, right? Tell everyone that I'm g-gay. Then my research career would once again be—" Nakanishi sucked in a breath before he turned away abruptly.

"No, Nakanishi- san!" Tetsuhiro ran after him and stopped him again. "I won't blackmail you just because of that! Your sexual orientation is not anybody's business but yours. Nobody should judge that; nor make use of it to intimidate you. Really, I just want to talk. Please."

Nakanishi Shin's uncertainty rolled off of him in waves. However, Tetsuhiro's sincerity seemed to have hit a chord. The man finally stopped running away and asked quietly, "What did you want to say, Tatsumi- kun?"

Tetsuhiro sighed in relief. "I just wanted to say this: if you really like and respect Sempai, please don't do anything to harm him or his research. Look out for him instead. Please."

Nakanishi blinked owlishly at Tetsuhiro's unexpected request. Comprehension seemed to dawn on him as he looked at Tetsuhiro's serious and unyielding expression. "You are the family that Tatsumi- san was talking about. At the hospital…"

Having shown his hand a little too blatantly, Tetsuhiro neither confirmed nor denied Nakanishi's deduction. He simply reasserted, "Don't do anything else that would hurt him, Nakanishi- san. Goodbye." Nodding to the man, Tetsuhiro headed back for the mitochondrial analysis lab.

Nakanishi Shin leaned his head against the wall, his hands fisted tightly around his bag straps.

After the confrontation with Nakanishi Shin, Tetsuhiro found himself releasing small sighs as he worked. That was the first time that he had talked face- to- face with the man, although they had been in the same environment for months. Nakanishi Shin did not strike him as a particularly vicious man, capable of sabotage. Instead, he had seemed timid and…cowed.

That was the word. Nakanishi reminded him of…Junya- san and himself. At the time when their homosexual relationship had been discovered, the bullying had been flagrant. Tetsuhiro remembered flinching whenever his father made to come closer to him—the older Morinaga had hit him that often. The townspeople in his hometown had also said extremely nasty things about their families and of course, Tetsuhiro and Junya themselves. Tetsuhiro knew first- hand how rumours and hearsay could ruin someone's life. After all, he had experienced that personally.

Back to Nakanishi Shin. Tetsuhiro pondered the man's admission of his homosexuality and sighed again. In other circumstances, Tetsuhiro would have been rejoicing over finding a comrade. However, he really did not want to feel sympathetic or chummy with someone who might have destroyed Sempai's work and made them lose their baby. Those acts had been unforgivable.

"You are sighing really frequently, Tetsuhiro- kun," Yuki Manami remarked from the analysis machine. She was checking the data that was continuously being churned out from it. Her curled, shoulder- length hair swung about gently as she busied herself with work.

"No, just thinking…" Tetsuhiro vowed to remain impartial with regards to Nakanishi Shin. Looks could be deceiving. He wouldn't judge a book by its cover and be lulled into a false sense of security just because the man looked harmless. Things could still go badly.

"It's almost ten and I'm almost done! Just let me save this data into my laptop and then we'll be good to go," Manami said.

"Sure, Yuki- san. Take your time," Tetsuhiro replied. He began to wrap up his work and quickly drafted one last email to his boss, Saga- san. Their project was progressing nicely. The team had made some breakthroughs in their research and this latest mitochondrial analysis of the genes they were targeting would provide further insight into the herb's anti- tumour formation properties. If their hypothesis was right, the analysis would support it. Everyone on the team was excited about what the data would yield. Sempai would surely be raring to glean some information from it the next day.

Once they were done, the two scientists checked that everything was back in its place before they switched off the lights and locked the laboratory. The corridor was a yawning length of darkness, lit up only by the lone green exit sign.

Tetsuhiro felt a prickling at the base of his spine. Moving to stand closer to Manami, he guided them to the exit using his mobile phone's torchlight function. Beside him, Manami Yuki had also quieted down, as though sensing that there was something lying in wait for them in the darkness.

However, nobody leapt out at them. Both of them exited the school safely. When they were at the school gates, Manami let out a laugh that sounded a little relieved. "That was rather…thrilling, huh?"

"Not really, Yuki- san…" Tetsuhiro glanced back at the school. In the dark, the majestic building loomed over them, like a menacing creature. Walking through the darkness earlier, he had felt someone staring at them from behind. Once or twice, he thought he had heard a soft footfall. Looking at Manami's brave smile but pale face, however, he thought that he had better not scare her further.

"My husband's here. Thanks for staying back with me, Tetsuhiro- kun! Tell Souichi- kun to have a good rest, too," Manami said. She waved cheerily at Tetsuhiro, her laptop in her grasp, before she got into the Toyota Camry awaiting her. Yuki Kenji waved at Tetsuhiro as well. Then, the car drove away, leaving Tetsuhiro to head for the train station nearby.

Throughout the journey home, Tetsuhiro debated whether to inform Souichi of his niggling suspicion that the saboteur was getting ready to act again. On one hand, Sempai had told him to keep a lookout; on the other hand, Sempai was pregnant and Dr. Yuki had advised against getting emotionally distraught. He didn't want Sempai to be overly worried about work and risk another miscarriage.

He made a choice. He would tell Sempai about talking to Nakanishi Shin and share a little about his suspicions. But that would be all. Tetsuhiro would be more vigilant for the entire team and look out for all of them just in case.

The little itch at the base of his spine just wouldn't go away, though.

* * *

The news came the next morning at about five in the morning. Tetsuhiro woke up from his sleep when Souichi's cell phone began ringing incessantly. He rubbed his eyes as his husband answered the call but froze when Souichi's expression turned from sleepiness to intense worry.

After hanging up, Souichi threw the blankets aside and hurried to wash up and dress. Tetsuhiro followed suit, panic beginning to bubble in his chest as Souichi dashed out of their bedroom and into Emi's. Downstairs, he put her swaddle on and strapped her to his chest.

"What's the matter, Sempai?" Terror was trying to claw up his throat. Scenarios, each worse than the previous one, flashed through Tetsuhiro's mind. Kanako- chan or Matsuda- san had gotten into trouble. Or it was news from America and something had happened to Tomoe- kun. Tetsuhiro's heart was in his mouth as he tried to get his head screwed on properly.

"It's Yuki Manami. She's given birth prematurely after a burglary at their house," Souichi said in a tight voice. He put on his shoes and swung the front door wide open. In his arms, Emi woke up and she began to fret. Souichi soothed her head comfortingly and motioned for Tetsuhiro to follow him. "I have a bad feeling about this. Let's go and find out what's happened."

"Slow down a little, Sempai! Your body!" Tetsuhiro cautioned. Arms full with his briefcase, Souichi's backpack and Emi's diaper pack, the brunette rushed to join his husband.

Together, they got into a cab and headed for Tokyo University Hospital. Upon reaching the correct ward, they discovered that their friend and colleague was sleeping. Yuki Kenji stood up and shook their hands in gratitude for their prompt visit.

"How's Yuki- san and the baby?" Souichi asked.

"Both of them are fine, thank Kami. They have to keep our son in the incubator for observation, though," Kenji replied. His face was unshaven and he looked gaunt with worry. "Thank you for coming to visit, really."

"You are welcome. Also, I'm glad that they are fine," Souichi murmured. Tetsuhiro patted their gynae consolingly on the shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. Despite the prematurity, nobody seemed to be in danger.

"Sorry, but I have to call the police and return home to survey the damage. I can't attend to you," Yuki Kenji said apologetically. He looked frazzled as he began to press buttons on his mobile.

"Go ahead and don't mind us, doctor," Tetsuhiro said.

After Yuki Kenji had left, Souichi headed for the couch and sank down on it. So early in the morning, he still looked exhausted. Tetsuhiro put their bags down and propped a cushion behind his husband's head. Then, he unbuckled Emi from Souichi's chest and carried her onto his lap. "Take a nap, Sempai. I'll wake you up when Yuki- san's come to."

"Alright, I think I will…" Yawning, Souichi leaned back and closed his eyes. He was almost instantly asleep. Pregnancy was taking a toll on his body and he was easy to tire.

Tetsuhiro tucked his winter coat around Souichi. When their baby began to cry, he slipped out of the room to change her diaper and feed her milk. As he patted her and tried to lull her to sleep, he strolled towards the nursery.

Rows of newborns lined the enclosed room. Right at the corner where the incubators for premies were, Tetsuhiro saw the Yukis' newborn. He was tiny and dark red in colour but he did not seem weak. Tetsuhiro whispered a silent prayer as he held Emi close.

It was ten in the morning when Yuki Manami woke up. By then, Souichi had also woken up and called the laboratory to inform them of the incident. Their professor had cleared them from work for that day and wished Manami well.

After being wheeled to the nursery where Manami could get a glimpse of her child, they returned to the ward and she narrated the events of the previous night.

"I was woken up by the cramps, actually. It was only when I was going downstairs to get a glass of water that I heard the rustling sounds from the study. Since I obviously couldn't run for my husband, I yelled for him instead. That alerted the burglar and he dashed out of the study like his pants were on fire. I got a vase and tried to throw it at him and it hit him! Then, he tried to come at me but luckily Kenji came downstairs in the nick of time.

"They fought for a few minutes. Lots of scuffling and yelling. By then, though, my cramps were so bad that I wasn't paying much attention. When Kenji saw me in pain, he panicked and rushed to help me. The burglar took that chance to run away. I have no idea what they took from the house," Manami finished lightly.

Souichi frowned at his friend's airy attitude. "Yuki- san, you are lucky nothing worse happened. There are people who would stop at nothing to get what they want."

Tetsuhiro glanced at his husband and he knew that he was referring to the time when an otaku that Souichi had scolded on the train set fire to his family home. The incident had even been on the news. Sempai's family could have been killed. The Yukis' burglary could have been much worse. "Thank Kami that you and your son are fine, Yuki- san."

Manami nodded, her jovial mood slipping somewhat to show the worry that she must have been harbouring. "I was actually feeling quite lousy during work yesterday. Coupled with that creepy walk out of the lab, I had the sense that something bad was going to happen. Well, it looks like I was right, hah."

"Creepy walk?" Souichi asked in puzzlement. He looked at Tetsuhiro for explanation.

"Well, it was late when we finished our work. The lights were all switched off in the corridors, which was quite strange. Somehow, it felt like there was somebody lurking in the shadows…but we never did see anyone and nobody attacked us so I didn't want to tell you that because everything's just so cobwebby and unproven…" Tetsuhiro bit his lip when Souichi frowned in contemplation.

"…Having somebody watching you and then the burglary happening…that can't be coincidence. Yuki- san, could you call you husband and see what was stolen from your house?"

Everyone seemed to realise what Soucihi was implying. With deft fingers, Manami dialed her husband's number and spoke quickly with him. When she hung up, her face had turned pale again.

"What is it?" Tetsuhiro asked out of anxiety. Manami's expression portended disaster.

"…My laptop and notes. They've been stolen."


End file.
